Shadows of Seattle - Part I - Discovery
by Serendipity Cullen
Summary: AU. Jackson Avery has finally come to terms with what he is. It's not fair, but he will make the best of the hand he's been dealt. Until a certain red-head enters his world and shakes everything to the ground. JAPRIL!
1. Chapter 1 - Bad Blood

**Author's Notes - I've toyed with this idea for a few months now, and I'm finally deciding to at least put it down for a first chapter. It's different, so I'm not sure what you're going to think. Please review!**

**-All characters belong to Shonda Rhimes. No copyright infringement intended-**

**-There are no set rules here, just many myths rolled into one-**

Chapter 1 - Bad Blood

_It was a cold, rainy Friday night in Seattle, Washington when her world was turned upside down._

_The year was 1942._

_Catherine Avery and her husband Henry were returning home from seeing the newest play _ Mr. Sycamore. _Jackson was away at boarding school, so the couple was able to have a night together. The first night together in a long, long time._

_It would also be their last._

_Catherine and Henry were so enamored of one another that neither of them saw the tell-tale signs that danger was lurking around the corner._

_The hole knocked through the glass._

_The door slightly ajar._

_The flashlight sweeping through their dark home._

_Catherine giggled seductively as Henry worked the house key into the lock as she ran her nails up and down his chest. She grinned when her husband responded, kissing her deeply and tugging her inside their million dollar home._

_Henry and Catherine Avery were the biggest names to hit the medical field in over a decade. Sure, it was only the forties, but the couple had ideas and surgical skills that was catching the eye of every board in the country. The world was their oyster._

_"I've missed this," Catherine whispered as Henry slid her coat off of her shoulders._

_"Me too," Henry replied as his hand tangled in her hair._

_The only downside to being sought out by every medical foundation in the country was that you never had time for yourself, let alone your spouse or child. Henry and Catherine spent most of their waking hours at the newly built Seattle Grace Hospital. The Chief of Surgery, Winston Webber, insisted that Seattle Grace was going to be the countries top hospital; how could Henry and Catherine resist being on the ground floor of something that would revolutionalize the entire medical field?_

_Revolutionalizing the medical field took many, many hours. In fact, revolutionalizing the medical field consumed you. You had no life; you simply lived, breathed, and slept the hospital._

_Their son, Jackson, was being raised by the nanny. Catherine wasn't very happy about it, but she was sacrificing her time with Jackson now so that she could provide for him later. Jackson deserved the best, and Catherine was going to make sure he received the best!_

_"Did you hear something?" Catherine whispered as she pulled from her husband's touch._

_Henry paused, quirking his head to listen in the darkness of their home. "No, I didn't hear anything," he said before moving to his wife's neck._

_Catherine closed her eyes and enjoyed the attention before jumping again. "I heard something, Henry!" she exclaimed as a wave of panic moved through her._

_"Let me find the light," Henry grumbled as he fumbled in the dark for the lamp._

_Everything happened so quickly, yet moved in slow motion._

_The small glow of light illuminated the room as Henry hit the switch._

_A scream ripped from Catherine's throat as a figure moved through the living room. The figure was clothed in black and armed. Seconds later a light flashed in the room and a loud sound echoed in her ears._

_Henry dropped to the floor._

_Another flash and loud sound before Catherine fell back._

_Pain._

_So much pain._

_Catherine's breath quickened as her hand moved over the right side of her body. Her fingers skimmed the dress she'd bought the day before specifically for the theater. Catherine strangled a cry when her fingers came back wet and red._

_Catherine Avery had been shot._

_"H-Henry," Catherine strangled, trying to remain calm. She barely registered the sound of Henry's voice as she felt herself begin to relax. The pain that had been so excruciating mere seconds earlier was beginning to dull. Catherine no longer felt the pain; the relief made a weak smile cross her lips. _

_Sleep._

_Catherine wanted to go to sleep._

_"It's going...t-to...be...okay," Catherine murmured dreamily as her eyes fluttered closed._

_"__**Save her**__!"_

_The demand roared through her ears, causing Catherine to jarr awake. She winced and turned her head, looking for her husband. "H-Henry?" she asked weakly._

_"Are you sure?" another voice, a smooth, velvet voice, asked._

_"Yes!" came Henry's frantic answer. "Save her, Nathanial! You owe me this!"_

_Confusion moved through Catherine's fleeting thoughts. Nathanial? When had Nathanial arrived? _

_Nathanial Taylor was Henry's best friend. The two young men met one summer while Henry was visiting family in Europe. The two were as different as night and day. Despite their differences, they'd managed to keep a long-term friendship. Nathanial was even at their wedding, Henry's best man in fact._

_Catherine had never cared for Nathanial. She had always tolerated him for her husband's sake, but there was something dangerous about him. His eyes seemed like they were peering through to her soul, and the feeling unsettled Catherine. Nathanial was tall and slender with dark hair that wildly framed his face and was constantly getting into those piercing blue eyes of his. Nathanial could be considered attractive by some if he wasn't so...intimidating._

_"Catherine."_

_Catherine's eyes fluttered open again as his voice tickled her ears. The only thing she liked about Nathanial was his voice. It was soothing and comforting, nearly hypnotic. "Yes?" she asked dreamily as she watched him lean over her._

_"Stay with me," Nathanial instructed as he slid his arms beneath her and lifted her from the floor. He knew from the weight of her small frame that time was running out._

_"I just want to sleep," Catherine murmured as her eyes closed again. She gasped when she heard a door slam and felt a softness at her back. She reached out and grasped a pillow from the bed she shared with her husband. How had Nathanial brought her upstairs so quickly?_

_Nathanial closed the door and secured the windows. "I am very sorry, Catherine," he spoke quietly, "but this is what Henry wanted."_

_Catherine opened her mouth to protest when a white hot pain began in her neck; the pain was so intense that it gave new life to her frail body. She fought and screamed, begging for Nathanial to help her. She must be on fire! The pain radiated through her entire body causing her to writhe and buckle. Catherine screamed repeatedly, begging for help, begging for the pain to stop, and finally begging for death to claim her! The pain was unbearable! How was she able to survive such a torture and not die?_

Catherine jarred from the thoughts as the flight arrival was announced. She stood eagerly, gathering her purse and moving towards the gate. Catherine hadn't seen her son in nearly two decades, and she missed him desperately. She called him often, but Jackson was usually out and rarely returned her phone calls. Jackson was a busy man, so she didn't blame him, but she still wished he kept in contact with her more.

Deep down, Catherine knew that Jackson was still angry with her. He would have much rather died that night nearly half a century ago. Jackson would never understand that Catherine could not let her son slip through her fingers when she knew how to spare him. "Jackson!" Catherine waved as she saw her son exit the gate.

Jackson tried to wipe the frown from his face as his eyes settled on his mother. The woman was happy to see him despite the way he'd treated her when they parted ways. It was time for them to move again, and all the rage Jackson had been swallowing came spewing from him that night in Hawaii. _It's your fault_ he had slung at his mother. _If you had just let me die that night, then I wouldn't have to do this! Do you think I enjoy moving every few years because no one can find out what I really am?_ His mother tried to plead with him, but he was too worked up to even listen to her. _I never wanted this! Never!_

"I've missed you," Catherine spoke softly as Jackson stopped a few feet away from her.

Jackson grit his teeth and closed his eyes for a moment. The damage was done; there was no going back. He couldn't change his lot in life. His mother believed she had done what was best for him; in reality, she only wanted to save his life. She never knew that this life was never a life he would have picked for himself. Jackson opened his eyes and took a deep, cleansing breath; it was pointless to punish his mother. He was all that she had left...and she was the only one in his life who would always be there. Jackson shook awake the sadness the thought brought to his mind and opened his arms to her. "I've missed you too, Mom."

Catherine hugged her son close; she could have hugged him for the rest of her lifetime-that was how much she had missed him. "Did you enjoy Paris?" she forced a cheery demeanor and released her hold on him.

"I didn't want to leave," Jackson replied as he adjusted his carry-on onto his shoulder as they moved through the airport.

"I never wanted to leave either," Catherine sighed, "but you know that we have to... Maybe we can return in fifty years or so."

"Maybe so," Jackson murmured, feeling that resentment rising up in him again. He managed to squash it down. "Why did we have to come back to Seattle?" he complained. "I hate it here."

"Jackson!" Catherine exclaimed. "You grew up here! How could you hate it?"

"It rains all of the time," Jackson frowned. "It's a dark, drabby city that has nothing going for it."

"Dark and drabby is better for us," Catherine reminded him gently. "Besides, we have friends here that will help us settle in..."

"As if we've always been here," Jackson finished, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. His mother still treated him as if he were a new kid on the block. He knew how things operated with his family.

Catherine sighed heavily. "Jackson, please don't start."

"I'm not," Jackson cut her off. "Just ignore me, mom. I was stuck beside a screaming baby, I have serious jet lag, and I'm pissed that I had to leave Paris." A smirk crossed Jackson's lips. "I love Paris."

* * *

"What do you think?" Catherine asked as they stepped from her SUV.

"It's nice," Jackson said as his eyes roamed the modern home. The last time he and his mother were in Seattle...well, let's just say things were much different thing. "Secluded," he pointed out bluntly.

Catherine cringed. "I thought the quiet would be a nice change of pace."

"You don't trust me," Jackson stated.

"It's not that!" Catherine spoke up quickly.

"Yes it is," Jackson said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You think that when I left I turned my back on our beliefs. I didn't. I lived in Paris for seventeen years, and guess what, Mom? No one died."

"I know, Jackson," Catherine spoke quickly. "I didn't mean to imply..."

"It's fine," Jackson interrupted and placed a kiss to Catherine's temple. Truth be told, Jackson would never punish a human being because of the fate he was dealt. It wasn't their fault. It was his mother's fault...actually, it was his father's. Jackson clenched his fists, forcing the rage down again. "What arrangements have you made?" he asked as Catherine lead him inside of her home.

"Nathanial gave me the number of a relative that will help us," Catherine explained. "He is an EMT, so he has access to everything we'll need."

"That's going to get him fired, and you know it!"

"It's not," Catherine assured her son. "Nathanial is taking care of all of the numbers and paper trails."

Jackson snorted. "Hard to believe the guy didn't know what a computer even _was_ thirty years ago, but now he's a hacker." His eyes roamed the spacious setting of the home. "I like it."

"Thank you," Catherine smiled. She knew that she didn't need her son's approval, but...she always felt better when she had it. "Here," she said and thrust a manilla folder into his hand before sitting down on the sofa.

"What's this?" Jackson asked as he dropped the carry-on onto the floor and flipped open the folder.

"Identification," Catherine answered simply. "Driver's license, social security card, medical license...everything you'll need to start over...again."

"Who helped us this time?" Jackson asked and pulled his wallet from his pocket, pulling out his old forms of ID.

"Nathanial knows a lot of people," Catherine replied. "He is friends with a family that helps...those like us..." She cleared her throat. Jackson was nerve comfortable with what they had become. "The man's name is Richard Webber. He's also the Chief of Surgery at Seattle Grace Hospital. The hospital is in the middle of a merger, so he believes it would be the best time for us to join...under the radar."

"Seattle Grace?" Jackson questioned. "Didn't you work at Seattle Grace?"

"Yes, but that was seventy years ago."

Jackson gave her a look. "Didn't they keep records though?"

"A fire in eighty-four burned all of those," Catherine replied with a wave of her hand. "There's no record of a Henry or Catherine Avery working at Seattle Grace."

Jackson considered the option. He had to do _something_ or he'd go mad. "Sure, why not," he shrugged. "But tell this Webber guy I want to at least be a resident this time. If I have to go through one more year as an intern, I'm going to hurt someone."

"Deal," Catherine laughed as the doorbell rang. "That should be our delivery," she said as she stood and walked back to the front door. "Hello, Matthew," she greeted warmly.

"Hey," Matthew Taylor spoke quietly and moved his gaze to the floor. "I've got wh-what you n-need. This should last a m-month."

"Thank you," Catherine smiled.

Jackson frowned as he watched the brown-haired man. "Need a hand?" he offered smugly as the guy tried to pull in the crate of supplies.

"No thanks," Matthew replied. "I've got it."

Jackson stood, walking over to the front door where his mother stood. Matthew clearly did not have it. "Hey, man, let me help."

"I said I've got it!" Matthew snapped, jerking away from Jackson. "I don't need help from _you_."

Jackson's eyebrows shot up and his eyes widened. "From _me_?" he clarified. "And just what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Matthew cleared his throat. "I'm only helping your kind because of the promise I made to my father. To continue my family legacy."

"My kind?" Jackson interrupted, anger surging in him. "What exactly is _my kind_?"

"Murderers," Matthew sneered.

"Jackson!" Catherine screamed as her son grabbed the young man by the throat and held him several feet off of the ground.

"If you know my kind," Jackson threatened, "then you should know that I'm not someone you should cross."

Matthew coughed and choked, reaching his hands at Jackson's death grip on his throat. "Some_thing_," he coughed out.

"Excuse me?" Jackson asked, turning his head slowly and inspecting the pathetic human before him.

"Jackson, let him go!" Catherine ordered.

Jackson's gaze briefly flickered to his mother before he dropped the man to the ground. "Consider this your warning," he vowed.

"Matthew," Catherine started, moving towards him.

"Stay away from me!" Matthew choked, scrambling to his feet. "Just stay away!" He ran from the Avery home; seconds later squealing tires announced his departure.

"Jackson," Catherine started, her gaze darkening. "If you're going to behave that way, then..."

"He provoked me!" Jackson cut her off.

"Learn to control that rage in you!" Catherine snapped.

"Fine," Jackson frowned, running his hand over the top of his head. He stood in silence for a few moments. "Are you going to show me the hospital or what?"

Catherine glared at her son for several more minutes before finally relenting. "Yes, let's go." She had to remember that Jackson was still young and had not put in enough time to control his outbursts.

Jackson kept quiet as they moved into the heart of Seattle. He knew that he had crossed a line with the Matthew guy; he hadn't had a burst of rage like that in nearly twenty years. If his mother hadn't been there, he probably would have killed the guy right there. Jackson closed his eyes, rubbing his fingers at his temple. It had taken him too long to master the lust in his body; he couldn't let it control him now. He had to do better.

"This is it," Catherine announced as she pulled into a visitor's parking place.

"Nice," Jackson mused, stepping from the SUV. "Much better post fire."

"Much," Catherine agreed as they started up the sidewalk. "You're going to like Richard, Jackson. He's a good man who knows how to run a tight ship of surgeons. He's a good teacher as well. He's been Chief for almost ten years. If we play our cards right and stay here for a little while, I may be able to take over for him when he retires." Catherine looked over to her son, seeing that he had stopped walking and fallen twenty feet behind her. "Jackson! Are you listening to me?"

No, Jackson was not listening to her. Instead, Jackson was staring at a red-haired woman sitting on a bench flipping through an Anatomy & Physiology book.

In that moment, Jackson Avery's world was turned upside down.


	2. Chapter 2 - Wrecking Ball

**Author's Notes - Thank you all for the encouraging reviews! I've wanted to write this story for so long, but I wasn't sure what the reception would be like! I love that the consistent word in the reviews is **_**interesting**_** :D**

Chapter 2 - Wrecking Ball

Time seemed to stop all together. Noises ceased, motions halted, and the color drained from the world as Jackson stood focused on the only person who had caught his attention in over fifty years.

Catherine smiled politely as strangers moved around Jackson, giving him a raised-eyebrow look as he openly gawked at a young woman flipping through a textbook. "Jackson," Catherine hissed, stepping over to him.

"Give me a minute," Jackson replied simply, holding up a finger in the general direction of his mother.

Jackson wasn't prepared for what had just occurred. He didn't think he'd _ever _meet anyone who could captivate him as this nameless young woman already had. Jackson had given up the hopes of a companion the night of the car wreck; the night his mother changed him to save him. It was impossible for him to believe that he was capable of a normal relationship; he was far from normal. Jackson watched as the woman looked to her watch and shut her textbook quickly. A smile pulled at the corner of his mouth as he watched her fumble while tugging on her lab coat; she was obviously a doctor here.

"Jackson," Catherine spoke again, her tone dropping. "She's a human."

"I know that," Jackson frowned as his eyes rolled over to his mother, disgust evident in their depths. "Do you think I can't see that?"

Catherine shifted uncomfortably and watched as the young woman hurried through the double doors. "It's not a good idea to get involved with one of them. The temptation is too great."

Jackson made a noise of disgust in the back of his throat as his eyes moved skyward. How had he ever managed to survive the past seventeen years without his smothering mother? "Thanks for the tip," he muttered before resuming his pace.

Catherine toyed with her hands and watched as Jackson's back stiffened as he strode towards the hospital doors; he was upset with her. No matter how delicately she tried to handle Jackson, she always managed to mess it up somehow. It all started with the night of the crash; she thought she was simply saving her son, but it turned out that she was turning him into something he loathed.

Catherine had managed to hide what she was from her son for twenty years. After Henry's funeral, Nathanial took Catherine to a small, secluded town in Italy so that he could teach her the ways of her new life. Jackson was away at boarding school, so his young mind never noticed a thing. By the time Jackson returned home, Catherine was in full control of her urges and powers. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years; time passed quickly without Jackson suspecting a thing.

Catherine never planned to change Jackson; she never thought she'd have to. Jackson was a good kid who grew into a good young man. He was focused on his studies and planned to follow in the footsteps of his parents. Jackson was accepted as an intern at Mercy West and easily became leader of the pack. He was the first one chosen to do a solo surgery. Everyone had high hopes for him, and even expected him to exceed the legend of his parents.

Every hope Catherine had for him came crashing down late one Saturday evening as Jackson was driving home from a fifty-two hour shift in the pit...

Catherine blinked back the memories and started towards the hospital once again. It was hard enough living through that night; she didn't want to remember it any more than she absolutely had to. "Third floor," she said absently as Jackson pushed the button for the elevator.

"This place is entirely too crowded," Jackson frowned as the doors slid open and they stepped inside.

"You know more than half of them will not survive the merger," Catherine reminded him as Jackson punched the button for the third floor.

Jackson's mind skipped to the red-head from moments earlier. He wondered if she would make the cut. Was she an intern or a resident? Jackson coughed as he noticed his mother's eyes on him. "Knock it off," he snapped, clearly annoyed.

"Jackson," Catherine started.

"Just save it," Jackson interrupted roughly. "I know everything you're going to say, okay? Let me save you the trouble-I'm not going to do anything."

Catherine saw the defeat in her son's eyes. "It's just...she's a human, Jackson...that makes things so much more difficult."

"I know," Jackson replied dryly. His mother was always so afraid that he was going to 'lose control' or take things 'too far' and someone would end up dead at his hand. Jackson wasn't an idiot; he knew when to bring things to a halt. Besides, if he was going to kill anyone, it would be that EMT Matthew. Jackson felt his anger rise at the thought of the arrogant bastard. He took a slow breath and closed his eyes for a moment to calm himself.

Catherine felt Jackson distancing himself from her, so she switched gears. "I think this is a nice hospital," she spoke cheerfully as the elevator jarred to a halt and the doors slid open.

Jackson looked around and sniffed his nose. "It's better than the one in Connecticut," he agreed as his mother lead the way towards the Chief of Surgery's office.

"Richard," Catherine smiled and held her arms out, hugging the man quickly. "It's good to see you again."

"You too, Catherine," Richard smiled at her before moving his eyes over to Jackson. "This must be Jackson? I swear, you look just like your father."

Jackson nodded and shook Richard's extended hand. "Thanks for getting us set up here."

"The pleasure is mine," Richard replied, then lowered his voice. "My great grandfather actually worked with Catherine back in the forties."

Jackson nodded, feigning interest as he studied the man. Richard seemed like a good man, but he also seemed the type who enjoyed his own power. He liked to run a tight ship so to speak. A part of Jackson wanted to ruffle the man's feathers; to see that confidence fade and a flash of fear take over his calm persona. "Yeah, it's been some time since we've had Seattle blood," Jackson mused. "I've missed it."

Catherine's eyes widened as Richard gaped at Jackson then laughed nervously. "Richard, he's joking," Catherine assured the Chief with a pat on his arm, then glared at her son. "Jackson!"

Jackson hesitated a moment, then grinned and lightly punched Richard on the shoulder. "Yeah, man, I'm kidding. We actually had some last month."

"Jackson!"

Richard cleared his throat and looked nervously between the two; he was suddenly having reservations as to having the Avery family at Seattle Grace. "Ah, yes, well, J-Jackson there's an orientation star-starting in the skills lab on the first floor..."

"That's wonderful," Catherine helped Richard along. "Why don't you go to orientation, Jackson? It will be the perfect way for you to slip in."

Jackson shrugged. It beat standing around here since he'd already worn out his welcome with Webber. "See you later, Chief," he smirked and clapped Richard on the shoulder.

Finding the skills lab was easy; Jackson simply followed the rest of the orange-scrubbed residents. It was obvious that the color orange was the traitorous color of Seattle Grace. Passing through the halls of the hospital was like stepping back into high school; the blue scrubs hung out with other blue scrubs and obviously talked shit about the orange scrubs. The orange scrubs stayed united and acted as if they were superior to the peons in the blue scrubs. It was all very boring to Jackson. These pathetic humans had no idea what dangers walked among them because they were too busy wrapping themselves up in a self-created drama.

There may have been many techonological advances since the forties, but the interactions of mankind seemed to have gotten worse.

A part of Jackson hated that he had to keep interacting with these ingrates. Perhaps he should buy himself an island and just keep to himself. As long as he had access to a blood bank, he'd be good. It would keep him away from these shallow humans once and for all.

Jackson eased into a chair at an empty table, all eyes in the room settling on him. He was used to it. People noticed him wherever he went; he was designed that way. Their kind was designed to attract the attention of everyone surrounding them. Not only were these poor humans defenseless against Jackson's kind, but they'd also been manipulated into believing his kind was attractive.

Sexy.

Romantic.

They were not being educated to believe that Jackson was a killer, a predator. No, they read books and watched movies about a romance with one such as Jackson. It was such a romantic idea to have a relationship with something that could destory you.

Again, people were much smarter in the forties.

At least no one in that skill lab had to worry about Jackson. His constant supply of O+ kept his predatory instincts at bay. No one in that lab appealed to him. They were about as deep as a frisbee.

Jackson muffled a groan as the sound of footsteps drew closer to him. They were small, soft steps, so he knew that it was a young woman. Perhaps a bold, modern woman who was going to make a move on him and prove to her group of girlfriends that she was a total bamf. Too bad he'd have to squash her reputation. Irritated, Jackson looked over and felt himself freeze as the woman from before hesitated at the table.

"Hey," she spoke softly, looking down. "Do you mind if I sit here?"

Jackson sat there dumbfounded for several seconds as he took her in. She was even more appealing to him up close and personal. The young woman was average height, slim figure with this gorgeous wave of red hair flowing down her shoulders. Her complexion was pale against her bright, hopeful eyes. Jackson instantly noted the redness fill her cheeks as he continued to wordlessly stare at her. "No, go ahead," he finally spoke, watching as she sat down gently.

The young woman tapped her fingers on the table top anxiously, squirming in her chair.

Jackson was used to that; it wasn't even their fault. They were naturally drawn to him, especially when he gave them his undivided attention. Jackson forced his gaze away from the woman and focused on the clock hanging over the dry erase board at the front of the lab. The woman had no idea what she was sitting beside. It was best she didn't know. Jackson inwardly cursed himself as her shaky voice filled his ears. His fingers slowly drew into fists as his hatred for his mother...his father...and Nathanial flamed inside of him.

"I don't remember seeing you at Mercy West," the woman spoke in a soft yet cheerful voice.

Jackson licked his lips slowly as he contemplated how to address the young woman. If he interacted with her, he'd only be drawing her to him like a moth to a flame, but on the same token, she didn't deserve for him to send her running from him screaming.

Though that was _exactly_ what he needed to do.

But...this nameless young woman already had him fascinated. There was something to her...something more... She wasn't some flirty, ditzy, easy bimbo. There was more to her, and it attracted him greatly.

Jackson finally decided to tread lightly with her. He'd had many a human friend in his existence. One more wouldn't hurt, right? "I transferred from the east coast," he said as he looked over to her. No sense in lying to her.

"Oh, because Shirley dropped out?"

"Yes, exactly," Jackson replied, thankful for the smooth transition into the new class of residents. He watched as the woman looked back to the table the drew absent shapes with her finger. "I'm Jackson, by the way."

The young woman's shoulders relaxed as a sigh moved through her body. "I'm April."

Jackson's head quirked slightly. "You're not from Seattle, are you?" Her voice had the hint of an accent to it.

"No," April admitted, biting her lip and looking down to the table. "I'm from Ohio."

"You're a long way from home," Jackson observed.

"I needed the space," April replied sheepishly. "I have three sisters, and they're driving me nuts."

Jackson chuckled at her innocent confession. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted as a man entered the room and called for everyone's attention. Jackson was tempted to send the man on his way, but it was probably safer to end things with April before anything else could occur.

"I would like to welcome all of you to Seattle Grace," the man spoke. "I am Dr. Owen Hunt. As you know, Seattle Grace and Mercy West are merging, which means that not everyone will make the cut. I advise that you all step up your game."

"Oh my gosh," April whispered.

Jackson looked over to her, watching as her breath quickened, her shoulders rising and lowering quickly. "Relax," he whispered to her. "Don't count yourself out before you even start." Normally he'd find the behavior annoying, but on April...it was endearing. She obviously valued her career, and he couldn't blame her for that, right?

"Before we release you into our hospital," Dr. Hunt spoke, "I want you to pair up for CPR check offs. Once I've cleared you, you are to report next door for an inservice on the Seattle Grace Policies and Procedures."

The room of interns and residents groaned before splitting into groups of twos. Jackson's eyes naturally moved to April. "Want to partner up?" he offered casually as Dr. Hunt began to round the room.

"Yeah, thanks," April smiled shyly and pushed away from the table. "Do you want me to save you first?"

"Sure, why not," Jackson shrugged as he eased away from the table and tucked his chair back under the table. "Let's move over there."

April followed behind Jackson, watching his tall figure move through the clusters of partners gracefully. There was something about Jackson that instantly caught her attention. Sure, he was gorgeous in an obvious sort of way, but...there was something more. She shook the thoughts from her head; she didn't have time to form an interest in anyone. She had to focus! "Thirty compressions and two rescue breaths, right?" she asked Jackson.

"Yeah," Jackson replied as he moved to the floor and lay on his back. "Which comes first?"

"Compressions," April answered and eased onto her knees beside him. Her eyes roamed his chest, drawing the imaginary line before resting her hands on top of his shirt.

"Higher," Jackson instructed, putting his fingers to the side of her wrist and applying a slight pressure. "Between the nipples."

"Wh-what?" April asked, clearly flustered.

Jackson smiled patiently up at her. "Between the nipples. And lace your fingers."

"I knew that," April blushed. "I'm just..."

"Nervous," Jackson finished. He was used to that.

"Yeah," April sighed, looking down to him. She stared for a moment before Owen appeared at her side, causing her to cry out. "Sorry!" she apologized and blushed profusely.

Owen gave her a look before holding his pen above his clipboard. "Names?"

"April Kepner," April squeaked.

"Jackson Avery."

"Kepner, Avery," Owen mused as he scribbled down their names. "Dr. Kepner, you've found this patient unconscious. What do you do?"

"Begin compressions," April replied quietly. "After making s-sure they're unconscious, of course."

"This is strictly textbook," Owen said somewhat gently. "I'm not here to trick you, Dr. Kepner."

"Good," April sighed, relaxing. "I would start thirty chest compressions, here," she locked her elbows and positioned her hands over Jackson's chest. "Then I would give two rescue breaths." She tilted Jackson's chin up with her index finger.

"Very good," Owen replied. "Switch."

Jackson practically lept off of the floor. April's touch was nearly too much; it made him instinctively aware of the color of her cheeks, the sound of her breath, and the pulse in her neck. "Thirty compressions followed by two rescue breaths."

"Good," Owen replied. "Dr. Avery, Dr. Kepner, you're free to go. Good work."

Jackson pushed himself up and offered his hand to April, helping her stand. "See, piece of cake."

"Thanks, Jackson," April said quietly and gave him a grateful smile.

Jackson stilled at the sound of his name on her lips. It was the most soothing, calming sound he had ever heard. He looked to her, watching her intently as she gathered her things. "No problem, see you later," he said abruptly before leaving the lab quickly.

Jackson needed to put some space between himself and the lovely Dr. Kepner. The temptation of her was nearly too much to bear. She could so easily unravel everything he had worked so hard to build. April Kepner was his kryptonite.


	3. Chapter 3 - Temptations

Chapter 3 - Temptations

As soon as the residents were dismissed from the inservices, Jackson hurried from the lab as quickly as 'humanly' possible. He wished he could move of his own accord; he would be out of the room before any of them had a chance to blink. Unfortunately, he was forced to stay amongst the humans. He had to move at their slow pace rather than the lightening quick movements of his kind.

At times like this, it was truly a pain in the ass.

All he needed was _space_ between himself and April Kepner. He needed to be free of her intoxicating scent for just a few moments so that he could think again. It wasn't just her scent that fascinated him...it was everything about the young woman.

Jackson had met many a woman in his time on earth, but none like April. Even the women of London didn't hold a candle to her, and boy, was that saying something. Jackson had wined, dined, and bedded the most elegant of women, but at this moment, he couldn't even remember their names let alone what they looked like. The only thing that consumed his mind was April Kepner.

It was nearly baffling to him; he'd never in his entire lifetime had a reaction like this before. It had been sixty years since Jackson was changed, and in those sixty years he'd never felt the things he was feeling now. He thought all human emotion was drained from him the night his mother changed him, but now...now he felt like a teenager before his first date. He was _feeling_ things again. Attraction, lust, protection; all of it rolled into one, and it was screwing with his head.

Jackson ran his hand over his head as he pulled open the door to the cafeteria; he had to remind himself to be careful or he could easily snatch the damn thing off the hinges. Wouldn't that draw attention to him?

Jackson mechanically retrieved a lunch tray and took his place in the line of babbling hospital personnel. It was easy for him to tune them out since his mind was on other things.

The blood, it had to be the blood. The human blood was what was making him feel again.

Jackson had spent the first twenty years of his new life going the whole vegetarian route. Sure, it was comical in movies to think of his kind taking the noble route and weeding out the animal population, but it was a completely different thing to actually _do_ it. And, it was an even harder thing to accomplish. The first twenty years Jackson was weak and nearly powerless. He looked human, he moved human; he didn't look anything like the powerful being that he truly was. Nathanial and Catherine begged him to go another route, but he refused; he refused to fully give in to something he never wanted in the first place. His life had already been ruined; there was no way in hell he was going to ruin anyone else's life. Jackson even refused to take small amounts from different sources. He'd rather live a weakened existence than to drain someone else's life.

Nathanial and Catherine put their heads together and came up with using the blood banks. Every day blood drives occurred in thousands of cities. They could benefit from someone else's donation without having to hurt a single soul. Jackson wasn't thrilled with the idea, but it was better than the alternative.

It took Jackson five years of consistent consumption to gather his strength again. It was a slow process, but he felt stronger with each passing day. The human blood also evened his skin tone and complexion so that he didn't appear different from any other human. The redness drained from his eyes, and his body moved more gracefully. He was no longer the red-eyed monster he had been before; he was finally the closest to a human that he would ever be in this form.

The power of the human blood must be what had him on edge. He truly _felt_ like a human. Before consuming the blood from the banks, Jackson didn't register an emotion. Life was simply black and white. No emotions, no feelings, no outbursts. Life is what it is; he couldn't change it, so why bother with it? It had to be the blood; the human blood was able to stabilize his ghastly appearance, so perhaps it stirred his emotions as well...

Unless...

The next thought that crossed his mind nearly made Jackson drop the lunch tray.

No, it couldn't be...it wasn't possible...

Jackson mechanically retrieved a hamburger as the thought took root in his mind.

Was April...his...mate...

_No_! Jackson pushed the thought out quickly as he retrieved some bills from his pocket and paid the cashier. Jackson didn't have a mate, and if he did, she was probably dead by now because she was a human. A human born in the thirties just like he was. His mate was not currently walking the hospital in a city that rarely saw the sun!

"I must be losing my mind," Jackson mumbled to himself as he sat down at an empty table. He didn't even _believe_ in soulmates. It was the blood, most definitely the blood.

Jackson shook away the thoughts of April and soulmates as he dressed his burger. He didn't have time for some human girl; he needed to focus on actually getting to be a resident this time. He was finally out of intern duty. There were only so many times he could feign ignorance. Hell, he should be a MD three times over by now. He could probably have Webber's job and do just fine.

Jackson ate quietly and kept to himself, glaring at anyone who dared to think they were going to approach him. It was amazing how one look from him sent the humans fleeing. Perhaps he should use that power on April... "Speak of the temptress," Jackson murmured as the door to the cafeteria eased open and April stepped in. He watched as she stood scanning the tables for anyone she recognized. A few of the orange scrubs took notice of her, but purposely turned their backs to her so she didn't join them. Jackson frowned deeply when he saw the defeated look cross the red-haired angel's face. He saw her shoulders sag and she turned to leave. "April!" he called out instinctively, his hand shooting up.

April scanned the cafeteria, spotting Jackson's waving hand easily. She sighed with relief and weaved through the cafeteria to his table. "Hey, Jackson," she smiled and dropped into the chair across from him.

Jackson inwardly cursed himself. How _stupid_ was he, really? First, he chewed himself up about her, then he invited her to sit with him? Seriously? He was no better than that Edward guy. "Hey, did you do all of your inservices?" he asked, noting her slightly labored breathing. He casually eased his unopened bottle of water in her direction.

"Finally," April rolled her eyes. "Thanks," she said before uncapping the bottle and taking a long drink.

Jackson watched a moment as the muscles in her throat moved before he forced himself to look away. "Who are you assigned to today?"

"Dr. Hunt, in the pit," April replied and wiped the back of her hand across her mouth. "You?"

"Dr. Hunt," Jackson replied glumly. Wonderful. Now he'd spend the rest of the day near the woman. "Aren't you hungry?"

"Starving," April sighed, "but I forgot my purse. It's..." she scrunched her face in an adorable way, "hanging over my couch in my apartment."

"Here," Jackson said as he pulled some bills out of his pocket.

"Oh, Jackson, I can't," April replied and pushed his hand away.

The simple touch made him want to bolt out of his chair. Jackson's grip tightened on the money before he lay it on the table beside her hand. "You have to eat," he reminded her. "We have a long shift ahead of us."

April chewed her lip and eyed the money a moment as her stomach rumbled. "Pay you back tomorrow?" she offered and retrieved the bills.

"You better." Jackson forced a smile onto his face and a lift to his tone as she left the table and moved to the lunch line. He let out a quick breath of air and took a long drink of soda. She was dancing with the devil, and she didn't even know it.

None of them knew it.

They sat around him, casting him sidelong glances and fantasizing about what it'd be like to be intimate with him, but none of them had a clue as to what he truly was. They were wrapped up in his appearance, but they didn't know that Jackson could end their lives in two seconds flat. In fact, he could empty this entire room in under a minute if he chose to. And not a single one of them could do a thing to stop him. They'd be dead before a thought of defense crossed their minds.

"Thank you so much," April interrupted his thoughts as she returned to the table with a salad and a second bottle of water. "What made you decide to transfer to Seattle?"

"What?" Jackson asked blankly, looking to her. "Uh, change of scenery," he recovered. "Plus, my mom knows the Chief."

"Is she working here too?" April asked as she poured dressing on her bed of greens.

"Yeah, she's Catherine Avery."

April dropped her fork. "Catherine Avery? The countries finest urologist and chairman of the Avery foundation?"

Nathanial had obviously done one hell of a job creating them new identities.

"Yeah, that's the one," Jackson replied.

"That must be awesome to have a mom like that," April said as she mixed her greens together.

"She doesn't walk on water or anything," Jackson replied. "What does your mom do?"

"She's a teacher," April answered and stuffed a bite of lettuce into her mouth.

"Now that's what's amazing," Jackson said and took another drink of his soda. "Putting up with a classroom of brats all day?"

"Jackson!" April scolded and then giggled. "Don't say that, it's not nice."

Jackson grinned at her and watched as the blush filled her cheeks. April was a kind person, and those types were hard to find. She was extremely easy to talk to as well. Jackson found himself truly intrigued by her; he wanted to know everything about her, and he didn't mind giving up certain details about himself. Just a few...he couldn't tell her _everything_ about him. Maybe one day though...

"Where'd you get that necklace?" April asked randomly as he was gazing at her.

"Huh?" Jackson asked, clearly caught off guard. How was she able to keep catching him unaware? He wasn't very comfortable with the feeling.

"That necklace?" April asked, pointing to his neck with her fork.

"Oh, this," Jackson murmured and tucked the crest under his scrub top. "It was my father's."

"Was?" April asked, a guilty look crossing her eyes.

"Yeah, he died when I was eight," Jackson said and coughed, looking down to the table.

"I'm so sorry," April spoke softly.

Jackson looked up and studied her for a moment. "I can tell you really mean that." He'd have to watch himself around April. She wasn't like these other silly girls; she noticed things. No one in the past ten years had noticed his necklace.

Just as they were leaving the cafeteria, Jackson's and April's pagers blared loudly. "Hunt, nine-one-one," Jackson announced before the two hurried through the halls and down the stairs into the pit.

"Avery, Kepner!" Owen called as soon as he noticed them. "There's been a ten car pile up. I need all hands. Let me know if your patient needs to be referred to another attending."

"Got it," they said together and separated.

"What do we have?" April asked as she joined two EMT's who were unloading a woman who appeared to be in her thirties.

"Female, thirty two, stable in the field," the EMT reported as they transferred the woman from the gurney. "She was the driver of the fifth car in the pile-up. BP is ninety over fifty-eight, heart rate is seventy, and she is complaining of left leg pain."

"Thank you..." April's eyes flitted up to scan his name tag, "Matthew. Hello, Miss, my name is Dr. Kepner, can you tell me your name?"

Matthew stepped back and watched Dr. Kepner for a moment. Seattle Grace had been on his route for nearly a year, but he'd never noticed this particular surgeon before. "We ruled out a break in the field," he stuttered, trying to find a reason to talk to the doctor.

April glanced over to him quickly. "You did? How?" she asked as she checked the woman's pupils with her penlight, then listened to her chest. "Deep breath...good..."

"She is able to actively move all extremities, and she transferred from the vehicle without difficulty," Matthew reported.

"Thanks, but I'll take a look for myself just to be sure, Miss Downs," April smiled at the patient before moving to the woman's leg. She eased the woman's pants leg up and made a face. "You've got some some bruising and swelling," April spoke as she touched the woman's leg, "and warmth, so I'm going to send you radiology for a venography to rule out a blood clot, okay?"

"A blood clot?" Miss Downs panicked.

"It's just a precaution," April assured her. "Hey," she called over a blonde nurse. "Will you take Miss Downs to radiology while I send up her paperwork?"

"Of course," the nurse spoke and pushed the gurney out of the pit.

Matthew watched April move to the desk to start clicking away on the computer. "What?" he asked as Nicole, his partner, nudged him.

"We need to go," Nicole urged. "We're in their way."

"Just a minute," Matthew said and held up a finger. "I'll be out in a minute." Nicole rolled her eyes and left the pit. "That was awesome," he said as he moved over to the desk.

April glanced up to him and smiled. "Thanks, just doing my job." She looked back to the computer and kept typing in the orders.

Matthew hesitated, scrambling for something to say. "Ar-are you new here?" he stuttered.

"Yeah, I'm from Mercy West," April replied and motioned to her scrubs. "The evil orange scrubs, you know?"

"Oh yeah," Matthew chuckled. "I'm supposed to hate you, right?"

"Something like that," April giggled and looked back to the computer.

Jackson glared at the two from across the room. He'd noticed Matthew the second the man entered the room. He knew the punk was an EMT, but he didn't think he'd be an EMT at _this_ hospital! Was he honestly going to have to put up with the guy whenever he rotated to the pit? The idea made Jackson see red. No, what truly made him see red was watching the stupid EMT drool all over April. The bastard didn't know how lucky he was to still be _alive_ at this moment. Every part of Jackson wanted to rip the man limb from limb. Jackson took a slow, deep breath and returned to his sutures.

"Do you like it here?" Matthew continued as he leaned onto the desk.

"It's different from Mercy West," April replied, then shrieked. "Oh no!"

"What, what is it?" Matthew asked, hurrying around the desk and standing behind her.

"It's gone, it's gone!" April exclaimed. "It just disappeared!"

"Hold on one second," Matthew spoke and leaned over her, punching a few buttons on the keyboard. "There you go."

"Oh my gosh," April breathed and ran her hands through her hair. "Oh, you're my life saver."

Matthew chuckled. "It was nothing."

"You just saved me," April breathed and finished up the orders, then sent them to radiology. "Dr. Hunt probably would have killed me!"

"Nah, you're too cute to die," Matthew flirted with a charming smile.

That did it.

"Hey, April!" Jackson yelled from across the room. "Could you help me with these sutures?"

"Duty calls," April smiled and pushed herself away from the computer. "It was nice meeting you."

Matthew followed April with his eyes, watching her gather a few suture kits before joining... "Avery," he sneered to himself, his eyes narrowing. Now it was quite clear why Dr. Kepner was called away so suddenly.

Jackson held his gaze with the man, watching as the realization ran across his face, followed by determination. They held each other's gaze for another few seconds before Matthew stormed from the pit. Jackson bit back a smile and looked to April as she ripped into the suture kits. "Thanks so much."

"No problem," April smiled. "I love sutures."

Jackson chuckled to himself. How adorable of her to love sutures. "It seems like I called on the right person then, didn't I, Mr. Garner?"

"Absolutely," the man chuckled. "And she's quite the looker too, Dr. Avery."

"Oh, stop!" April laughed and ripped open another kit. "Crap!" she exclaimed as the kit slid from her grip.

Jackson's hand shot out quickly, catching the kit a few inches from her grasp.

April blinked, looking to her hands, and then to Jackson's extended hand that held the kit. "Uh, thanks," she muttered and shook her head.

Jackson returned to the sutures at hand, but watched April closely for a few moments. He could practically see the wheels turning in her head as to how Jackson caught the kit so quickly and so close to her hands; the kit might have fallen three inches before his lightening reflexes retrieved it. He had to be more careful around April. She couldn't find out what he was yet, because once she did, she'd run screaming from him. And Jackson wanted to spend a little more time with her first.


	4. Chapter 4 - Baby Steps

Chapter 4 - Baby Steps

Catherine paced the floor of the living room, her heels clicking against the wooden floor quickly. Where was he? Why wasn't Jackson home yet? His shift had ended several hours ago, and he wasn't answering his phone. Images of April's drained body flashed in her mind, but Catherine pushed them out quickly. She refused to believe that her son would give in to his desires so quickly. The girl was still alive. She was probably safe in her bed asleep. Yes, Catherine chose to believe that.

Catherine's anxiety eased when she heard the familiar rumble of Jackson's car. He was about five miles away. She sighed with relief and sat comfortably on the couch, flipping the television on as if she had been relaxing all evening rather than worrying for her son's composure. "Hello, Jackson," she spoke evenly as he entered seconds later.

Jackson rolled his eyes. "The whole enhanced hearing thing is a two way street, Mom," he spoke dryly.

"Where have you been?" Catherine asked bluntly.

Jackson quirked his head, an evil smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Watching her sleep, of course."

"Jackson!"

Jackson chuckled and shook his head. "I was at Joe's, Mom. Relax." He dropped into the recliner and pulled out his cell, beginning to tap away on it.

Catherine watched him for a moment, debating her next move. If she came down too hard on her son, he'd leave again, but...she needed to know what frame of mind he was in. "What's Joe's?" she asked, feigning interest. "A restaurant?"

"It's a bar," Jackson replied, his eyes flicking up from the screen to look at her. "It's across the street from the hospital." He tucked his phone back into his pocket and looked to her with amusement. "I'm supposed to be blending in with the other residents...plus alcohol helps with the cravings, right?"

"Jackson!" Catherine exclaimed, a sternness to her tone. "It does not, and you know it!"

Jackson grinned wickedly. "It does according to that tv show."

"This isn't a game," Catherine frowned. "You have to be careful around her."

"I _am_ careful around her!" Jackson snapped. "Just like I am with everyone else! I'm in control, and I've been in control for twenty years!"

Catherine pursed her lips. She'd seen the emotion run across Jackson's face the moment he lay eyes on the woman. "I just don't want you to do something you'll regret. She's a good girl, Jackson."

Jackson's eyes darkened. "I know that! Do you think I don't know that?!"

Catherine sighed heavily. "What I do know is that I saw something today that I've never seen before."

"Oh?" Jackson spat. "What's that?!"

"I saw a human stop you in your tracks," Catherine spoke softly.

Jackson shifted uncomfortably, looking to the floor for a moment, studying the flecks of wood in the boards. "I can handle this," he finally replied quietly.

Catherine studied her son for a moment. This was the first time in sixty years she'd seen Jackson quiet, humble, and vulnerable. The girl, April, seemed a good match for him. She'd already smoothed his edges in the few hours they'd spent together. "What are your intentions?"

"I don't know," Jackson mumbled, running his hand over his head. "I haven't really thought about it..."

"You need a plan," Catherine advised. "You need to set limitations so that you don't step over the line and do something that you'll regret."

Jackson lowered his gaze, toying with the different scenarios he'd thought of while in Joe's. "I think I could...we could..."

"She's _human_," Catherine stressed, a plea to her tone. "She is too fragile for you, Jackson. If you lose control for one second, she could be dead."

Jackson snatched his head to glare at his mother, the anger and resentment towards her boiling to the surface again. "If you'd let me die that night, we wouldn't be having this discussion right now."

Catherine sat back, squaring her shoulders and holding Jackson's gaze. "I do not apologize for that night," she spoke firmly. "I would do it again if I had to."

"You would curse me _again_?!" Jackson asked incredulously.

"I would save you," Catherine snapped. "I will do whatever I have to do to save you." She shook her head for a moment and looked down. "I just hope you're never faced with the same situation."

Jackson rose to his feet, glaring down at his mother. "Even if I am, I will _never_ do this to someone! Never!" He backed away slowly, balling his hands into fists at his sides. "I'm going back to Joe's. I'll be back later."

Catherine closed her eyes for a moment when the house rocked as Jackson slammed the door behind him. She hoped Jackson would never see someone he loved dying before his eyes; she hoped he would never be faced with the choice to let them die or to change them to save them. Only then would Jackson understand her decision.

Jackson gripped the steering wheel tightly, feeling the steel give way beneath his fingers. How did his mother think she had _any_ right to meddle in his affairs?! What did it matter who he was involved with? He'd spent many years away from his mother, interacting with other humans, and he'd remained in control. No one died; he didn't even feed on them. Jackson stuck to their way of life-consuming the blood from the blood banks, and that was all.

April Kepner wasn't going to shatter his belief system. The fact that she was still alive proved that.

His mother just didn't get it. April appealed to him on many levels; it wasn't just her blood that attracted him. Jackson had no desire to kill her; he simply wanted to get to know her. He should be allowed that privilege!

Jackson eased his hold on the steering wheel as he zipped through the Seattle traffic. He'd show them; he'd show all of them. Catherine, Nathanial, Richard, but most of all, himself. Jackson was capable of being involved with a human without being a threat to her. All he had to do was put his mind to it.

April was worth it.

The next morning Jackson walked through the doors of Seattle Grace Mercy West with a purpose to his steps. Today was the beginning of a new life for him. "Hey, April," he greeted as he spotted her at the coffee cart near the elevator.

"Jackson, hey," April smiled in return after paying for her coffee. "Are you with Hunt again today?"

"Yeah, he paged me this morning," Jackson replied as he watched April pour a pack of sugar and two packs of creamer into her coffee. One sugar and two creamers. "You too?"

"Yep, back in the pit," April said before taking a sip of her coffee. "I love the pit."

"Me too," Jackson grinned and ordered a black coffee. "You never know what you're going to get."

"Tell me about it," April replied as they started towards the elevators. "One time, I got this guy who fell down the stairs with a nail gun in his hand. He had like, twenty nails in his head."

"That's insane," Jackson pretended to be impressed. "I got a pregnant guy one time."

April's mouth dropped and her eyes widened. "Are you serious?!" she exclaimed as the doors slid open and they boarded the elevator.

Jackson inhaled sharply, adjusting to the enclosed space, the scent of her assaulting him. "He wasn't pregnant. He just tested pregnant, but it turned out he had cancer."

"That sucks," April frowned, biting her lip.

A silence settled between the two as the elevator took them to the resident's lounge. Jackson watched closely as April tapped her foot anxiously. Her grip tightened on the coffee cup as she checked her pockets for pens, scissors, and her penlights. She wasn't very good at just being still. The idea made him smile as the doors opened. "Are you the oldest sister?" he asked as they walked towards the lounge.

"Huh?" April asked, clearly caught off guard.

"You said you have three sisters," Jackson stated. "Are you the oldest?"

April looked to him for a moment. "You...remembered..."

"Of course I remembered," Jackson replied, watching her closely.

April looked away, the intensity of his eyes getting to her. She fumbled for a moment, trying desperately to remember her sisters' names.

Jackson smiled patiently as he waited-he was used to flustering the humans. It was part of what made him appealing to them. Lure them to kill them; thank goodness he chose not to live that way.

"I have one older sister," April stuttered as they turned down the hall towards the lounge, "and two younger sisters."

"Are they doctors too?" Jackson asked as they entered the lounge.

"Oh, gosh no," April laughed. "They can't stand the sight of blood."

"So what do they do?" Jackson asked as they put their things away.

"Libby is a teacher, like my mom," April answered as she pulled her hair into a pony tale. "Kimmie..." She was cut off as her pager screeched loudly.

"Nine one one," Jackson reported as he pulled on his lab coat and adjusted the stethoscope around his neck.

The two hurried from the lounge and ran towards the pit.

"What do we have?" April asked as she and Jackson skidded into the room.

"Camping accident!" Owen called from a gurney. "Get the next one. Page Sloan if you need to."

Jackson groaned as he saw Matthew wheeling in the second gurney. "What happened?"

"No one knows, but we think an animal attack," Matthew sneered.

"Oh my gosh!" April exclaimed as Jackson pulled the curtain around them. Her eyes widened as she took in the gashes to the man's throat and chest. "Do we have any information?"

"John Doe," Matthew shrugged as the three transferred the man to the hospital bed.

"Sir, can you hear me?" April asked as she waved her penlight in the man's eyes. "Pupils equal and reactive," she reported.

"Blood pressure one eighty over one hundred," Jackson reported and pulled the stethoscope from his ears. "How do you know it was an animal attack?" he directed at Matthew.

"We don't," Matthew snipped. "A runner found him and his girlfriend in the park."

"And you think there are wild animals loose in the park?" Jackson narrowed his eyes.

"Well _something_ got them," Matthew stated.

Jackson glared at the man before looking over to April. "Dr. Kepner, can you handle this while I talk to Mr. Taylor outside?"

"Yeah, go ahead," April waved him off as she called for a nurse and then ripped open the man's shirt to measure his wounds.

"Let's step outside for a minute, Mr. Taylor," Jackson got out through gritted teeth, motioning towards the exit.

"Sure thing, Mr. Avery," Matthew replied.

"It's Doctor," Jackson snapped.

The two men walked through the ER casually, but as soon as they were outside, Jackson scanned the area before shoving Matthew into the wall. He felt a small flash of satisfaction as the younger man grunted in pain. "You think I did this?!" he demanded.

"We never had any animal attacks until _you_ showed up," Matthew spat, pulling away from the wall and rotating his shoulder.

Jackson's eyes narrowed. "I didn't do this!"

Matthew nodded. "Of course that's what you'll _say_."

"I didn't do this!" Jackson repeated.

Matthew shook his head in disgust. "I know the cover stories, Avery," he snapped. "You rip them up so people think it was an animal."

Jackson made a move towards him but stopped himself when the man recoiled in fear. He blew out a short breath of air. "You brought us the blood!" he hissed. "Why would I attack someone if I have blood bags at home?!"

"I don't know," Matthew sneered, "but I _will_ find out. And as soon as I do, I will expose you to Dr. Kepner."

One second Jackson was glaring at the cocky EMT, and the next second he had the man by the throat. "I'm not giving you a third warning," Jackson vowed through clenched teeth. His grip tightened before he finally released Matthew. He stepped back, giving the man a chance to catch his breath.

"I'm sure," Matthew coughed, trying to catch his breath, "Nathanial...will love...to hear...that..."

Jackson studied the man, watching as he stumbled to his feet. "How do you know Nathanial?"

Matthew coughed again, then swallowed hard. "You-you haven't figured it out?" Matthew smirked as a dumbfounded expression crossed Jackson's features. "Let me know when you do." He turned and hurried into the hospital.

Jackson had to fight the urge to chase the man. Something about him got under his skin, and it was driving Jackson crazy. He released a long breath of air and leaned against the wall, gripping it tightly. How did Matthew know Nathanial? Nathanial was nearing a hundred years on earth, so how did Matthew _know_ him?

Matthew...Taylor...Taylor...

Nathanial...

"Taylor," Jackson spoke, his eyes widening. Nathanial Taylor...Matthew Taylor! The punk was a descendant of Nathanial. A great, great grandson, nephew, or something. That's what Matthew meant when he referenced the 'legacy' of his family. Jackson thought the man was full of shit, but...

Jackson whipped out his cell and punched in Nathanial's number.

"Jackson?" Nathanial answered on the first ring. "Is something wrong?"

"I need to talk to you," Jackson ignored him. "Tonight."

Nathanial hesitated. "I can be there tonight. Are you okay? Is Catherine okay?"

"We're fine," Jackson snapped. "I need to talk to you about your family tree, because I'm ready to break off one of the branches." He ended the call and shoved the phone back into his pocket before running back into the hospital.

"Sir!" April yelled as Jackson neared. "Sir!" The color drained from her face.

"Code blue!" Jackson yelled and ushered April out of the way. "Somebody get me a crash cart!"

April staggered back as the code team rushed in and assisted Jackson. Ten minutes later the man was pronounced dead. April's hand flew to her mouth, and she ran from the pit.

"Dr. Kepner!" Owen called after her.

"Dr. Hunt?" Jackson asked. "May I?"

"Yeah, go ahead," Owen waved him off. "But get back here ASAP! We've got two more cases coming in!"

"Yes, sir," Jackson replied before running from the pit. He ran for the resident's lounge, hoping that would be the first place April would go. As soon as Jackson left the elevator, he heard her labored breathing and elevated heart rate. "April?" he called quietly, poking his head into the lounge. He spotted her sitting on the floor with her knees drawn to her chest and her hands clasped at her shins. Jackson studied her for a moment, seeing the look of fear in her eyes. He moved beside her and sat down quietly.

April tensed when Jackson sat beside her. She felt herself shattering, and she didn't want him to witness it. It was stupid of her to react this way, and she knew it. She mentally chastised herself for being so weak.

Jackson sat quietly, noting the peaks in her heart rate. "First one?" he asked softly, looking over to her.

April swallowed a lump in her throat. "I-I've always had c-codes on the t-table," she stuttered, willing herself not to cry. "Or I w-was called in on-on another one..." She looked over to him. "You know?" Jackson nodded slowly. "He was talking to me," she rambled. "He was talking to me, and then..."

"He was gone," Jackson finished simply.

"Y-Yeah," April whispered, closing her eyes tightly. "If you hadn't been there..."

Jackson opened his mouth to offer words of encouragement, but he didn't figure anything he could say would make her feel better. His mind flashed to his first code in nineteen fifty-eight. He had reacted the same way as April. "I froze on my first code too," he finally whispered.

April looked over to him. "You did?" she asked softly.

Jackson nodded. "I did. The books tell you what to do, and the workshops teach you the skills, but...nothing prepares you for seeing it face to face."

"Yeah," April whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek. She stubbornly wiped it away and bit her lip, willing back the rest of the threatening tears.

Jackson took a breath before resting his hand on her shoulder simply. Her heart beat slowly returned to normal and her breathing evened. "Are you ready to go back?" he asked after several moments of silence.

April licked her lips and nodded slowly. "Yeah." She pushed herself up, straightened her lab coat, and took a deep breath before they moved from the lounge. "Jackson."

Jackson stopped and looked back at her. "Yes?"

"Thank you," she replied quietly, looking down to her hands.

"Anytime," Jackson smiled, meeting and holding her gaze.

Jackson and April jarred from their trance as their pagers blared loudly. The sprinted towards the pit in record speed.

Come to find out, there _was_ an animal on the loose in Cedar Park. A lion escaped the zoo during the night, and had taken up residence in the park. Two more victims came in with life-threatening injuries before the animal was finally captured.

"I'm so tired," April sighed eight hours later as the pit finally quieted and she collapsed into an empty chair.

Jackson watched her for a moment. It had been so long since his body felt tired. Once he was changed, all weaknesses left his body. He never grew tired, hungry, or ill. "Need a pick me up?" Jackson offered, holding out a cup of coffee from the cart near the elevator.

"You're a lifesaver!" April exclaimed, reaching for the cup thankfully. "But I need..."

"One sugar and two creams," Jackson finished. "It's already in there." He took a sip of his own coffee but cast a sidelong glance to her. The smile on her face made the whole day worthwhile.


	5. Chapter 5 - Absence Makes the Heart Grow

Chapter 5 - Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Jackson was five miles away from home when he heard his mother speaking to Nathanial. Jackson instantly stopped the car and turned it off so that he could get an earful before his mother stopped speaking.

"Are you _sure_, Catherine?" Nathanial stressed.

"He hasn't told me anything in particular," Catherine sighed after a few seconds of silence. "I saw what she did to him. Jackson has never responded that way before. I don't think he's prepared for this type of a relationship."

"Could you be over reacting?" Nathanial asked thoughtfully. "You've been upset many times over something that turned out to be nothing."

"It's different this time," Catherine answered. "I know my son. Trust me, Nathanial, this time it's different."

"Do you think he'll hurt her?"

"Not intentionally," Catherine admitted. "He seems to have genuine feelings for her."

"And this has never happened before?" Nathanial clarified.

"No," Catherine replied immediately. "There have been flickers of interest here and there, but nothing to this extent. I don't even know what to say to him! Every time I try to talk to him, things end in an argument."

"He's still angry with you," Nathanial replied simply. "You of all people should understand what he's feeling. You hated me for changing you."

"I hated you for not saving Henry!" Catherine snapped.

"There wasn't time," Nathanial answered patiently. "I would have saved my best friend, but my best friend wanted me to save you. I honored his wishes."

"What are we going to do about Jackson?" Catherine changed subjects.

"There's not anything we can really do," Nathanial replied. "If you keep at him, you're just going to make him even angrier with you."

"I don't want him hurting her!" Catherine exclaimed.

"You don't even know that he will," Nathanial spoke loudly, which was rare for him. "I understand your concern, but if he hasn't hurt this girl by now, then he probably won't ever hurt her."

"But he could," Catherine argued.

Nathanial sighed heavily. "Catherine, the first five minutes with us are the most dangerous. Jackson has spent many hours closely confined with this girl. He could have killed her a million times by now. Give him credit where credit is due."

"Do you honestly think he can have a relationship with her?" Catherine asked softly.

"I've seen it done before," Nathanial replied. "He'll have to come clean with her about what he is though."

The thought hit Jackson like a battering ram. He'd _never _even considered exposing himself to April. Never. How in the world could he look in her innocent, angelic face and tell her that he was a creature of the night? A form of darkness? A vampire?

A look of fear would cross April's features, and she would run from him with every bit of strength that she had.

Jackson didn't want that. He didn't want for her to fear him. Ignorance is bliss, right? April wasn't going to be stuck in Seattle forever. She was entirely too talented; she'd probably end up at the Mayo Clinic and find a cure for cancer or something. If he could just bide his time, she would get transferred, and Jackson would be the one left behind. They could spend time together, Jackson could love and adore her, and she could move on with her career without ever having to know what he was. The only one getting hurt in that situation would be Jackson, and he was fine with it as long as he could spend his time with her.

"Or he can change her," Catherine's words interrupted his thoughts.

A low growl formed deep within Jackson as he gripped the steering wheel tightly. That was his mother's answer to everything! Just change them! Change the human into a vampire! Curse someone else's life! He was _not_ going to change April!

"Damn," Jackson cursed as the steering wheel broke off of the steering column. Wonderful. Now he was going to have to buy another car. Jackson tossed the steering wheel into the passenger floorboard and retrieved the documents from his glove box before deserting the truck. He was tired of it anyway; maybe he'd get a Charger this time.

Nathanial looked up minutes later as Jackson stormed into the Avery home. "For someone threatening to chop away at my family tree, I thought you'd be here sooner."

"Long day in the pit," Jackson replied blandly and moved to the refrigerator, emptying a bag into a glass. "Get to talking."

"Jackson!" Catherine scolded. "Don't talk to Nathanial that way!"

Jackson quirked his head at his mother. "Did you know that Matthew punk is _his_ descendant?"

"He's not my descendant," Nathanial clarified. "I did not have a family before I was changed."

"He's a Taylor," Jackson frowned. "He's related to you somehow."

"Matthew is my great, great nephew," Nathanial explained.

"Told you," Jackson directed at his mother. "Matthew is human, right?"

"Yes," Nathanial answered. "I was the only one in my family who was changed. Steven, my brother, did not like what I had become. He feared me and thought that I was a demon." A sadness crossed Nathanial's eyes as he looked to the ground. "I tried to convince him that I would not harm him or his family. He did not believe me." Nathanial cleared his throat. "He cut ties with me and never chose to see me again. But..."

"But what?" Catherine asked, clearly drawn into his story. Come to think of it...she did not know very much about Nathanial at all. The only thing she knew prior to being changed was that Nathanial and Henry were friends. She never noticed that Nathanial was alone; no family, no friends, no life. He had lived quite a lonely existence.

"Steven protected me," Nathanial finally spoke again, pain moving across his eyes. "He didn't support my existence, and he was afraid of me, but he still loved me. I was his brother. Steven had his line of Taylors support my secrecy. Steven didn't want me to kill anyone, so he helped me with my nutritional needs. After he passed, his son Brian began helping me. It naturally continued with each son born on Steven's side. That is what Matthew meant when he referenced the family legacy."

Jackson frowned. "But Matthew obviously hates us."

"He does," Nathanial conceded. "You and he are more similar than you think, Jackson."

"No, we're not," Jackson snapped.

Nathanial pursed his lips. "Matthew hates what I am just as you hate what you are. Matthew thinks I am cursed just as you think you are cursed."

Jackson mulled over the thought as he took a long drink from his glass. "He threatened to expose me today."

"He won't expose you," Nathanial assured him. "Matthew probably just felt threatened by you." He gave Jackson a pointed look.

"I only roughed him up a little," Jackson defended himself. "After he accused me of attacking someone, by the way."

"There was an attack?" Nathanial asked, slightly alarmed.

"A lion escaped from the zoo, and your nephew decided that I did it," Jackson explained. "I told him I didn't, but he didn't believe me. Then he threatened to expose me to Apr-Dr. Kepner."

Nathanial laced his fingers together and looked at Jackson. "Why did that bother you? There have been myths of vampires for hundreds of years."

Jackson shifted uncomfortably. He had to think fast. "If Matthew had run from that hospital crying vampire, it would have created mayhem. Do you remember what happened in Europe just ten years ago?"

"I remember," Nathanial replied.

"The whole city would be after us with stakes and torches," Jackson reasoned. "We can never return here if Matthew exposes us."

Nathanial nodded as Jackson spoke. "All of that sounds very believable, but would you like to tell me the _real_ reason now?"

Jackson glared at the source of his misery. Nathanial never _had_ to change his mother! Who cared what Henry wanted? Henry never would have known if Catherine was changed or not; he was dead. Jackson emptied his glass and stood. "Tell your nephew to get off my back. I'd hate for him to never have a son of his own."

"You will not hurt my family."

The tone of Nathanial's voice let Jackson know that he was dead serious. Jackson's gaze narrowed. "Then get him off my back." Jackson leapt to the top of the staircase. "Goodnight," he bid them farewell before entering his room.

"Jackson."

Jackson spun around, seeing Nathanial sitting at his desk in the darkest corner of his room. "Seriously?!" he snapped, frowning deeply.

"Tell me the real reason," Nathanial insisted as he relaxed in the chair and propped his boot-clad feet on the corner of Jackson's desk.

"What does it matter?" Jackson scowled. "You've chosen the side of your family. I don't even know why you're still hanging around us. If you were just going to hang us out to dry, you never should have changed her. Screw what my father wanted."

Nathanial was on his feet in lightening speed and had Jackson pinned against the wall, by the throat, before Jackson had a chance to blink. "Do _not_ disrespect my honor to your father," the older vampire growled. "Your father was like a brother to me, and I would have done anything he asked of me." Nathanial released Jackson seconds later.

"Whose side are you on?" Jackson coughed.

"I'm on your side," Nathanial replied, dropping back into the chair. "I am always on your side."

"Yeah right!" Jackson scoffed.

"You think she's your mate, don't you?" Nathanial cut him off.

Jackson's entire body stiffened as he gaped at Nathanial. "I'm not sure," he finally confessed quietly. "I didn't think I'd have one...but if I did have one, I thought she'd be like me, you know?" Jackson sat on his bed and ran his hand over his head. "I can't have a human for a mate..."

Nathanial nodded his head slowly, watching the torment cross Jackson's face. "It was the year nineteen seventeen," he spoke quietly, looking down to the floor. "I was touring England during summer break."

"Alone?" Jackson questioned.

"Yes, alone," Nathanial replied. "Not everyone chooses to live the way we do. Most of our kind chooses the...primal way of life." He cleared his throat before speaking again. "One night I stopped at an inn a few miles from Somerset. It was a quiet place with little business." Nathanial smiled. "That's when I first saw her." Nathanial's smile turned into a knowing smirk. "She stopped me in my tracks."

Jackson felt his mouth go dry. "Was she..."

"Human?" Nathanial asked, his eyebrows lifting. "Yes, she was human. Her name was Lily."

"Was," Jackson mumbled, looking down to the floor. It was stupid of him to focus on that word-it was obvious Nathanial traveled alone. Not once had Jackson ever seen Nathanial with someone. "Tell me more."

Nathanial leaned forward in the chair, propping his elbows on his knees. "Lily was the most beautiful woman I've ever met in my entire existence. She had a heart of gold, and she emanated this light...her goodness was infectious." He smiled to himself, remembering Lily's bright green eyes, porcelain skin, and golden curls. "She had this spirit that...it just made you want to be a better person."

Jackson nodded, his eyes moving to the ground. It seemed that his April was Nathanial's Lily. "What happened?" he asked quietly, not sure if he was ready to hear this story.

"I did what you're doing," Nathanial spoke simply. "I thought that I would spend what time with her that I could, until something else comes along. It doesn't work that way."

"Why not?" Jackson frowned.

"Feelings develop," Nathanial replied. "When a human's heart gets involved, especially the heart of a special young woman...she does not let go of you easily."

Jackson stilled. He'd never thought of that. He'd only thought of his plan from his side; he would do all of the suffering. He'd lavish April until she transferred to a bigger, better hospital. He never considered her _not_ moving on with her life and leaving him behind. What if she threw away every opportunity that came along because of him? He had clearly not thought this through!

Nathanial watched as the realization hit Jackson out of left field. "Lily and I were truly mates. We fell in love, and nothing could separate us...not even the darkness within me."

"You told her?" Jackson gaped.

"I did," Nathanial nodded. "I expected her to leave me, but she accepted what I was. She saw a light in me, and she didn't care that I was a demon." He sighed heavily. "She wanted me to change her so that we could spend eternity together."

Jackson rocked back in the chair, flabbergasted by Nathanial's admission. "What happened after you changed her?"

Nathanial met Jackson's gaze. "I didn't change her. Lily didn't know what she was asking for; she didn't know what a curse this existence is."

Jackson's eyes dropped. He couldn't blame Nathanial...if given a choice, he would never ruin April's life. April deserved to have a full, enriching life. She deserved a husband and a family. April deserved to grow old and pass on one day; she didn't deserve to live a cursed eternity. "When did she pass on?"

Nathanial shifted uncomfortably in the chair. "In the year nineteen eighteen an epidemic broke out...you probably studied it in school." He cleared his throat. "The Spanish Influenza."

Jackson's eyes widened. "Yeah, it killed...almost one hundred million, right?"

"Yes," Nathanial nodded. "Lily died in my arms." He closed his eyes, the image of his stricken mate taking her last breath...he could see it as if it had happened yesterday.

"You still didn't change her?" Jackson finally whispered.

"No," Nathanial shook his head. "I spent a decade tormenting myself for not changing her...that is why I did not hesitate when your father asked me to change your mother."

Jackson closed his eyes for a moment. He couldn't imagine the pain Nathanial lived with; to find your mate, have her accept you, and then...she dies... "I'm sorry," he spoke quietly.

Nathanial nodded and stood. "I appreciate your sympathy. The only reason I've told you this is so that you can learn from my experiences. You have to decide how you are going to pursue things with your lady. If you truly believe she is your mate, then you must decide if you're going to expose yourself to her, and if you are willing to change her." Nathanial moved to the door and cast Jackson one final glance. "I will help you in any way that I can." In one swift motion, he was gone.

Jackson stared at the empty doorway for a moment before laying back onto his bed in a huff. His mind was running in five-hundred different directions, and he didn't know which thought to catch first. _Is April my mate? Am I going to tell her what I am? What if she runs from me? What if she accepts it? What if she tells everyone what I am? Will she want to become like me? Am I willing to change her? What if I kill her instead? I've never changed anyone before! I'll kill her, that's what will happen!_

Jackson squeezed his eyes shut and forced the thoughts from his mind. Deep down in his core, he knew what he was going to do. It was a decision he never thought he'd have to make, but he knew it was for the best.

The next morning Jackson walked stiffly through the doors of Seattle Grace Mercy West. He was not nearly as happy today as he had been days before. The light that he felt before was diminished, erased by the darkness of his soul.

"Good morning, Jackson," April chirped as she took her cup of coffee from the cart.

"Good morning," Jackson replied, forcing a dryness into his tone. He was hating this plan already.

April seemed a bit stunned, but followed behind him quickly. "Do you know who you're with today? I'm with Torres in ortho."

Thank God. "I'm with Sloan in plastics," Jackson replied and pushed the button for the elevator.

"Oh...are you interested in plastics?"

Jackson groaned inwardly. Was she trying to kill him? Why didn't she go ahead and drive a stake through his heart?! This was already hard enough for him-he hated blowing her off! "Yes, that's where the money is, in plastics."

"You're in it for the money?" April asked, her face falling. "I just want to help people."

"Helping people doesn't pay the bills."

April bit her lip and shifted from foot to foot. "Are you okay, Jackson?" she asked, looking to him with questions in her eyes. "You don't seem like yourself today..."

"You don't even know me," Jackson cut her off, giving her a look meant to intimidate. "How do you know if I'm myself today or not?" He forced his eyes skyward and tapped his foot impatiently.

April naturally stepped back, the hurt evident on her face. "Yeah, you're right," she murmured. "I guess I don't know you." She pressed another button, making the elevator stop a floor early. "See you later, Jackson." April practically ran from the elevator.

As soon as the doors closed, Jackson pulled the emergency stop button and took a slow, deep breath. "This is what's best for her," he pep-talked himself as he clasped his hands at the back of his neck. He had to put a distance between himself and April. He was no good for her. She didn't need to get tangled up in his web of darkness. Jackson took another breath before releasing the elevator. No matter how much this hurt them both, April was better off away from him.


	6. Chapter 6 - History Lessons

Chapter 6 - History Lessons

April ran from the elevator, not even sure which floor she was on; all she knew was that she had to get off of the elevator immediately. She felt herself crumbling and needed to be away from him.

Which was stupid. Jackson was right-she didn't know him. All she knew was his name, that his mother worked in the hospital too, and that he was freaking gorgeous. She didn't know anything of substance; she didn't know him.

So why did his words cut her to the bone? The harshness behind them is what shook her to her core. It was like...Jackson hated her all of a sudden.

April didn't want to admit it, but she was fond of him already. A simple CPR check off and a cup of coffee had her practically swooning over him. How lame _was_ she?

April blinked back tears and squared her shoulders. Whatever. Jackson could come talk to her whenever he was out of whatever mood he was in. She would not make the mistake of talking to him again.

April jarred as her pager blared, bringing her back to the present. There were people in the hospital who needed her assistance. It was easy to push Jackson's behavior to the back of her mind while she was working. She rounded on Dr. Torres' patients, checked the pit for any incoming injuries, and even helped a resident named Charles Percy with his labs. She was so busy running around that she barely had time to think of Jackson again.

"Hey, do you need any more help?" April chirped after making her second round on the ortho patients.

Charles gave her a sideways glance as he flipped through some lab results. "No, I've got it, thanks."

"Are you sure?" April asked, adjusting her stethoscope around her neck. "I've got a few minutes..."

"I've got it."

"I don't mind," April offered.

"I'm okay!" Charles exclaimed, frustration evident. "Geez, take a chill pill." He gave her a look before leaving her standing in the hall.

April watched him leave, standing stunned for a moment. Her bottom lip trembled slightly as she scanned the area, locating the sign for the supply closet and hurrying towards it. She barely managed to duck inside before the first tear fell from her eye.

That was it.

That was why Jackson had been so harsh with her earlier in the day.

April couldn't just let things go; she had always been too over eager, too over analytical, too over..._everything_. She had spent her entire life striving to be the best. April spent her days striving for perfection; second place was not an option. Why put off until tomorrow that which could be done today?

April had always seen that as one of her strengths, but now she was realizing that it could very well be her weakness. "Idiot," she murmured to herself as she sat in the floor and pulled her knees to her chest. "Idiot, idiot," she continued and covered her face with her hands.

April tried to replay the events of her time with Jackson. Had she asked too many questions? Tried to be too helpful? Correct him if he was wrong?

It had to be something; she had obviously done something to annoy him. It hadn't taken Charles but an hour to get aggravated with her; Jackson was probably ready to murder her after sixteen hours in the pit with her.

_What is wrong with you?!_ April mentally chastised herself. _He was the first friend you've made since the merger, and you managed to run him off already!_

April bit her lip as more tears threatened to spill over her lids. What upset her the most about Jackson was that..she was fond of him. Quite fond of him. She was attracted to him, and found herself liking him more than she should. Jackson was charming, funny, smart without being condescending, and completely easy on the eyes. He was the whole package, which was rare to find. Most attractive men were jerks, and the men with great personalities...well, they rarely looked like Jackson. Jackson had everything.

April wiped her cheek stubbornly as a few tears escaped down her skin. Not only did Jackson have all of these amazing qualities, but..he made April _feel_ different. He made her feel something she'd never felt before.

April Kepner was twenty-eight years old. Not only was she an unmarried twenty-eight year old woman, but she was also a twenty-eight year old whose love life consisted of only two relationships that lasted more than a month. Her last relationship ended almost three years ago. April actually thought she was going to die an old maid. A spinster. A woman that no man would find worthy of marrying.

April had always tried to hide her insecurities, but her mother knew her better than anyone. Her mother told her before she left for Seattle that she had 'a feeling' that April's life would never be the same. Karen, April's mother, was a believer of soul mates, and she believed that her daughter had someone out there meant for her. _"You're going to find him one day," Karen said the day that April left for Seattle. "And once you've found him...you're going to _know_ it's him."_

_"How will I know?" April asked anxiously. What if she met the right man, but she didn't know she'd met the right man? What if she lost her chance with him because she didn't know he was the one?_

_Karen smiled gently and tucked her daughter's hair behind her ear. "Trust me, April. You'll know. Without a shadow of a doubt, you'll know."_

April squeezed her eyes closed, forcing the memory from her mind.

She'd thought Jackson was the one. The minute April lay eyes on him, she'd thought he was the one she was meant to be with. She'd felt something that'd she'd never felt before. It wasn't even Jackson's looks that drew her in...it was something deeper. April felt complete; she felt like she'd found the other part of herself.

"Pull it together," April instructed herself. She had obviously been wrong; simply infatuated by Jackson's looks. There was nothing there. She clearly annoyed him. The thought made April's eyes water again, and she buried her face in her hands.

Several minutes later, April managed to compose herself and force her body from the supply closet. As much as she'd like, she couldn't hide there for the rest of the day. She had work to do, and saving lives sure beat hiding in a closet crying over some silly crush.

Luckily things picked up in the hospital, and April was able to assist Dr. Torres on two emergency surgeries that came in through the pit. Dr. Torres was a very good teacher, and April found herself developing an interest in orthopedics. She'd never considered the specialty before, but Callie made it seem appealing.

Thanks to the back-to-back surgeries, April missed lunch hour and entered a practically deserted cafeteria at nearly one o'clock. Good. She didn't want to risk running into Jackson again; she wasn't quite sure she wouldn't burst into tears at the sight of him. April bought half of a chicken salad sandwich and an energy drink before dropping into a chair at a table in the corner.

"You know those are bad for you," a voice teased after she popped open the canned drink.

April's eyes darted around before she noticed the EMT from the day before when she was in the pit with Jackson. "Hey..." she spoke, her memory failing. What was his name again?

"Matthew," the man replied with a smile.

"Matthew, right," April sighed, his name vaguely ringing a bell. "Sorry, it's been a long day."

"Yeah, it looks like it," Matthew remarked. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Talk about it?" April blinked. "I hardly know you."

Matthew gave her a charming smile. "We can change that. My name is Matthew Taylor, I've lived in Seattle my whole life, and I've worked at Seattle Grace for about a year. I live by myself, and I have a dog named Tiger."

"Tiger?" April questioned with a raised eyebrow. "Aren't tigers cats?"

"Exactly," Matthew grinned mischievously, causing April to laugh in return. His hands settled on the lunch tray sitting on the table before him. "Do you mind if I join you?"

April bit her lip, considering for a moment. "Sure, why not?" She definitely needed the resemblance of a friend today.

Matthew promptly joined her, sitting across from her at the small, round table. "So, tell me about yourself, Dr. Kepner."

"April, you can call me April."

"Okay, April," Matthew replied.

April ducked her head, feeling her cheeks redden. "W-well, my name's April Kepner, obviously," she stuttered, inwardly cursing herself. _Keep it up, and you're going to run off another one! _"I have three sisters, and I was born in Ohio. My parents own a farm, so I have a pet pig."

"I didn't think you were from around here," Matthew remarked. "What was it like on a farm?"

"It's not for everybody," April remarked before taking a bite of her sandwich. "My sisters hated it. My dad didn't want me to move because I was the only one who actually helped him."

"But I'm guessing you had to move because your sisters were driving you nuts?"

"Absolutely," April smiled, feeling herself relax and the heat drain from her cheeks. It was nice to actually be able to form a thought around Matthew...unlike Jackson. Jackson made her forget her name most of the time.

Matthew watched her take a bite of her sandwich. "What made you decide you wanted to be a doctor?"

"I like to help people," April replied automatically.

"That's very noble," Matthew remarked as he opened his bag of potato chips.

April shrugged. "What about you? Being an EMT is a noble profession too. If you didn't get the patients to the hospital, I couldn't help them."

"Thanks," Matthew smiled before a silence settled in. "Have you been able to sight see any since moving here?"

"Not really," April admitted and bit her lip. "I don't know anyone here, so I've just focused on the hospital."

"I can see that," Matthew nodded. "Well, if you're not busy sometime, I wouldn't mind showing you around. I've grown up here, so I know all the best places, plus all the history." Deep down, Matthew knew it was wrong to bait her this way, but there was something about April that he liked. He'd noticed it the day before in the pit. April was like...a candle in the darkness. She had this innocence about her...an innocence that certain dark spirits would love to devour.

"The history?" April questioned, finishing off her sandwich.

"Yeah, you know, haunted houses and stuff," Matthew shrugged casually.

"Oh," April nodded. "Moline has things like that. There was this mansion up the road from our farm...people swore it was haunted, but Libby and I never saw anything."

"Is Libby your sister?" Matthew asked and took a drink of his bottled water.

"Yes, she's my oldest sister. We'd sneak out once a month and try to catch the ghost of Mrs. Krane, but we never saw anything." April rolled her eyes. "I guess kids will believe anything."

Matthew nodded. "Yeah...but at least those were just ghost stories. Seattle has some serious dark roots."

April felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise. "Seriously?" she asked quietly.

Matthew held her gaze for a second. "Yeah, but I'm sure you don't want to hear about that," he baited.

"I'd actually like to," April replied. "What goes on here?"

Matthew looked down to his tray, then lowered his voice. "Okay...but you can't tell anyone I told you...people really believe this stuff..."

"Tell me," April said eagerly, leaning closer to him.

Matthew cleared his throat and looked around. "I know it's going to sound crazy, but..there's been talk for years that there are...vampires in Seattle."

"Vampires?" April asked skeptically. "Vampires, seriously? Yeah right!" She shook her head and took a drink of her energy drink.

"Laugh all you want," Matthew said and held up his hands defensively, "but I'm serious."

April searched his face, not finding a hint of teasing. Matthew appeared dead serious. "Vampires don't exist," she stated, her voice wavering.

"They do in Seattle," Matthew replied before pushing his tray aside. "We've seen proof."

"Proof?" April asked, a chill running down her spine.

Matthew nodded, glancing around the cafeteria again. "They're not like the vampires in the movies. They look just like you and me, but...if you look closely, you know there's something different about them."

April wiggled in her seat, leaning onto the table. "Different? Different how?"

Matthew settled back in his chair. "It's just superstitions," he shrugged.

"Tell me!"

Matthew took another drink from his water bottle before continuing. "Okay...most of them have a piece of jewelry. A ring, necklace, something that protects them from the sun."

"Vampires can't walk in the sun."

"Fictional vampires can't," Matthew corrected, "but real vampires have protection."

April blinked. Real vampires? Seriously? Was she out of her mind? How could she sit here and listen to this load of crap? She settled back in her chair and toyed with the plastic wrap from her sandwich. A part of her wanted to change subjects, but a bigger part of her wanted to know more. "There haven't been many animal attacks since I've been here...isn't that how they cover up...killing people?" She whispered the last two words.

Matthew shrugged casually. "Most vampires use blood banks now. The human blood strengthens them, plus they don't draw attention to themselves by having a high death toll. They can live in a city where no one even knows they're there."

April shivered in spite of herself. "Aren't vampires..fast and stuff?" she asked softly.

"Absolutely," Matthew nodded. "They can literally move in the blink of an eye. They're very strong too. Plus, they never get hurt. Except from a stake through the heart, of course." Matthew watched her face-she was absorbing every detail he threw out there. A small part of him felt dirty for planting the information in her mind, but the bigger part of him wanted to prepare her. Matthew had seen how closely Jackson was working with April...she needed to be prepared in case things turned sour. "My grandfather actually had a collection of wooden stakes," he chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. The young woman looked completely terrified.

April jumped to her feet as her pager beeped, knocking over the chair in the process. Her hand flew to her chest as she steadied her breath and yanked the pager from her waistband. "Nine one one," she reported. "I've got to go...uh, thanks for having lunch with me."

"My pleasure," Matthew smiled. "Maybe we can do it again sometime."

"Yeah, maybe so," April replied absently. "See you later, Matthew!" She gave him a wave before running from the cafeteria. Vampires...yeah right!

That night Jackson sat in Joe's working on his tenth shot of Jack Daniels. Jackson didn't really believe in heaven or hell, but after today...he knew he was living in hell. He closed his eyes for a moment, remembering every torturous second of the day.

He'd made her cry. April, sweet, precious April, had cried because of _him_. He was on the fourth floor when her sobs exploded in him like a gunshot. It nearly dropped him, and it took every ounce of self-control he possessed to keep himself away from her. Jackson forced his body to remain at the nurse's station, when all he wanted to do was go to her, take her in his arms, and apologize to her over and over again. It was obvious now more than ever that he was _not_ good for her.

"Checking up on me?" Jackson asked, staring straight ahead as someone took the stool beside him. "Did mom send you?" he asked, rolling his eyes over to Nathanial.

"No, I'm here of my own choosing," Nathanial replied, his eyes moving to the shot in Jackson's hand. "You know that stuff dulls your senses," he frowned, motioning to the glass.

"That's what I want," Jackson replied non-emotionally. "My senses dulled." He downed the shot and ordered another. "I made her cry today."

Nathanial cringed. "What happened?" he asked before ordering a glass of water.

"I was rude to her," Jackson replied simply. "I wanted to..."

"Drive her away," Nathanial finished.

"Yep," Jackson nodded, staring straight ahead. "And it worked. She didn't speak to me for the rest of the day."

Nathanial watched the younger vampire sit there and torture himself. "You haven't nourished yourself today," he observed. "Your eyes are getting darker."

"I'll take care of it later."

Nathanial took a small sip of his water before looking back to Jackson. "If being away from her is going to drive you to this," he motioned to Jackson's state, "perhaps you should reconsider."

"Your nephew told her about us," Jackson ignored him.

Nathanial's spine stiffened and his grip tightened on the glass, causing a crack to appear. "He did what?" he asked lowly, an edge to his voice.

"Matthew gave her the whole history of vampires," Jackson replied in a monotone voice. "Told her about our protection against the sun, our speed, our strength, and what kills us." A white-hot rage flamed in Jackson the moment he heard Matthew join April in the cafeteria. A small part of him had felt guilty for keeping tabs on her during the day, but he had to make sure she was going to be okay. He didn't want her upset the entire day because of him. Just as Jackson was ready to pull away from her, he heard Matthew join her. And he heard every single word Matthew said to her. Every. Single. Word.

Nathanial pushed the glass away abruptly before he shattered it. "Did he give her our names?"

"No," Jackson sneered, "but April is smart. It won't take her long to figure it out."

Nathanial and Jackson sat at the bar for half an hour in silence before Nathanial spoke again. "Can you make it home?"

Jackson looked over to him with a look of disgust on his face. "I think I can manage," he replied dryly and watched the older vampire slide off of the stool. "Where are you going?"

Nathanial pulled on his leather jacket and straightened his collar before speaking. "I have some family business to take care of."


	7. Chapter 7 - Time Heals All Wounds

Chapter 7 - Time Heals All Wounds

Matthew yawned and stretched towards the sky as he walked from the hospital to his truck. It had been a long day, and he was ready to get home and get some rest. Matthew's brows furrowed as he neared his truck. "Hey!" he called, seeing a dark figure leaned against his red pick-up. Matthew's steps slowed as the figure turned towards him. "Uncle," he squeaked, his face blanching.

"Matthew," Nathanial greeted, crossing his arms over his chest. "We need to talk."

"I have nothing to say," Matthew said, his voice wavering. "I did what you asked me to do. I took them the blood!"

"What else have you done?" Nathanial asked, holding his nephew's gaze. He watched as the man dropped his eyes. "Our kind is supposed to be kept secret. You know this!"

"I didn't give her any names," Matthew hissed.

"You weren't supposed to say anything at all!" Nathanial raised his voice before bringing his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "Our existence is not supposed to be public knowledge." He shook his head sadly. "Your father would roll over in his grave if he knew what you've done."

"Don't you dare talk about my father!" Matthew growled, lunging for his uncle.

Nathanial easily caught Matthew's flying fist with one hand, twisted the man's arm behind his back, and forced his face to the hood of his truck. "You're going to fix this," he spoke simply. "Tell Dr. Kepner that you were joking...I don't care how you do it, just fix it."

"I'm not going to do that," Matthew replied stubbornly.

Nathanial tightened his hold on Matthew's wrist, wincing as his nephew screamed out in pain. "Your legacy is to protect us, Matthew. It's your duty as a Taylor. Fix. It." He lingered a second longer before releasing the man, watching as Matthew grabbed his arm and rubbed his wrist.

"What if I can't?" Matthew sputtered, nursing his arm like a wounded animal.

Nathanial held his gaze for a moment before speaking. "Then I'll stop protecting you." He took a step back. "And after what you've done...you want my protection."

Matthew blinked and was alone in the parking lot. He looked around frantically, but saw no sign of his uncle. "Great," he muttered, beads of sweat appearing on his brow. How in the world was he going to fix this?

* * *

One month later Jackson sat alone at a table in the Seattle Grace Mercy West cafeteria. It had been exactly one month since he'd put the distance between himself and April Kepner.

One month of hell.

Each day Jackson had questioned if this was the right thing to do. Perhaps he was over reacting. He had yet to kill a human...but he didn't want the first one to die at his hands to be April. And the mere fact that he doubted himself, his self-control, was enough of a reason for him to keep her safe. He had considered leaving on so many occasions, but..he could never actually make himself do it. He'd packed his bags hundreds of times and purchased dozens of plane tickets, but he could never make himself get in his car and leave. Each time he'd throw his bags across the house and not even attempt to go to the airport.

Jackson couldn't make himself leave her. He knew he was wrong for her in at least a hundred and one different ways, but he couldn't make himself leave. He still wanted to be near her. Plus, with Jackson's enhanced hearing, he could at least listen to April speak throughout the day. If he heard her talking private matters, he'd always stop listening; he never wanted to invade her privacy.

April seemed to be doing remarkably well; better than him. She had formed friendships with some of the other orange-scrubbed Mercy West invaders. Jackson had kept to himself; he had no friends here. It wasn't that he couldn't have made friends-everyone wanted to be friends with the Avery heir. He simply didn't _want_ to make friends. He was still torturing himself about April.

Jackson didn't try to initiate contact with April, and April certainly didn't try to initiate contact with him. The few times she met his gaze, she looked away quickly. They made polite conversation in the elevator, but that was as far as it went. They must have asked each other a hundred times 'how are you.' The few times Jackson managed to meet her gaze, he saw the hurt in her depths. His few harsh words had hurt her to the soul. April was obviously protecting herself and wouldn't be hurt by him again.

Good. That was how things needed to be.

If Jackson pursued things with April, it would bring up more questions than he was prepared to think about. Would he tell her what he was? What if April wanted to be like him? Would he be able to change her?

The latter thought _really_ made Jackson think. He'd never changed anyone before. In fact, he'd never even bitten a human. How could he go from not even feeding on a human to changing one? Nathanial would have to change her, that was for sure.

Unless, of course, April ran screaming from him, never wanting to have anything to do with him. Which was a very strong possibility.

Jackson wouldn't blame her if she fled him. She _should_ flee him. What sane person hears the word 'vampire' and _doesn't_ run? Fight or flight had to take over eventually, and April didn't stand a chance if she chose to fight him. Not that he'd hurt her; the logical choice was for her to run. She needed to run.

Jackson gripped the bottle of cola as he heard Charles, Reed, and April moving towards the cafeteria. Charles and Reed were babbling away about snaking a surgery from some Seattle Grace residents, but April was strangely quiet. The only way he knew April was even with them was because Reed addressed her, then nagged her for obviously not listening.

Jackson's guilty conscience almost made him believe that it was Matthew's words that had April quiet; perhaps she was already putting the pieces together. No, that couldn't be it. Jackson couldn't blame the EMT for that; Matthew hadn't really given her enough information to suspect the Avery family. Deep down, Jackson knew that he was to blame for April's silence. It wasn't lost on him that he had not seen April in the cafeteria in a month. She was obviously upset that she had to see him today.

Moments later the cafeteria door swung open as the trio entered the cafeteria. Jackson knew he should look away, but he watched April until she finally looked at him. Her eyes darted to the ground, then she shifted towards Reed, striking up a very colorful conversation. April was obviously trying to make him jealous, and boy was it working. Jackson forced his body to remain in the chair; it would be so easy for him to stand up and make his claim on her. It wouldn't take much for April to forgive him. It was the way he was designed. One certain look was all it would take for her to be putty in his hands. He didn't want to treat her that way though; he didn't want his vampire charms to work their magic on her. If he was going to fix this, he was going to fix it the natural way.

"Hey," Reed hissed and nudged April with her elbow. "That hot guy is staring at you."

April didn't even have to look; she knew Reed was talking about Jackson. "Yeah, so?" she asked flippantly as she plucked an apple from the fruit bowl.

"So?!" Reed exclaimed. "He's the hottest guy in residency! I haven't even gotten to work with him yet," she pouted as she retrieved a bowl of soup.

"Don't bother," April warned her as they approached the cashier. "He's a jerk." She didn't really think Jackson was a jerk; she was just trying to put up a tough front. It was bothering her that Jackson kept looking at her, but wouldn't speak to her. Did he truly hate her that much?

"You've worked with him?" Reed asked as April lead her to a table far away from Jackson's.

"Once or twice," April shrugged, wishing Reed would change subjects. She felt that sad feeling consuming her again.

Jackson visibly winced when April called him a jerk. She had it _so_ wrong. She didn't understand that he had practically saved her. He'd never reacted to a human the way he'd reacted to April. That couldn't be a good sign. He'd socialized with many a woman he could forget seconds after meeting. April was the only one who consumed his every thought. He was nearly obsessed with her. His obsession would only lead to her destruction.

Jackson took a quick drink of his cola before pushing his lunch tray aside. He looked to April again, the story of Nathanial and Lily coming to his mind. Was Jackson prepared for that? Years from now would he be capable of telling a younger vampire how he let the love of his life, his mate, slip through his fingers? That he'd let his fear of hurting her drive a wedge between them?

No, Jackson didn't want that to be his story. He didn't want to be like Nathanial, roaming the earth dejected and alone for the rest of his existence.

Jackson was capable of making this work. It was obvious that he'd made them both miserable by cutting her off so brusquely. He never even gave her a chance. He'd made the decision for both of them...much like his mother made the decision for him that night. "Damn," Jackson muttered to himself, the realization hitting him. He was no better than his mother!

"Are you sure you two don't have a thing?" Reed asked, glancing over her shoulder to Jackson.

"Who has a thing?" Charles asked as he plunked his tray on the table and dropped into a chair. "Is it operable?"

"We don't have a thing," April replied firmly.

"Well, he's looking at you like you have a thing," Reed stated.

"Who, Avery?" Charles asked and made a face. "Avery is a freak."

"He's not a freak!" April defended.

"He's a jerk," Reed corrected.

"He's not a jerk either," April sighed.

"But you said..."

"I know what I said," April snapped.

"Looks like our red head is all firey today," Charles smirked.

Jackson felt as if his wounded ego was bandaged when April defended him. Maybe he hadn't completely ruined things with her. Maybe, just maybe, he had a fraction of a chance with her. Now, he just had to figure out how to get back in her good graces.

* * *

"Hey, are we still going to Joe's?" Charles asked that evening as he entered the residents' lounge.

"Yeah, April is showering now," Reed replied as she towel dried her hair. "I am beat."

"Me too," Charles agreed. "The drinks are coming just in time."

"Tell me about it," Reed agreed as she tossed the towel into her assigned locker. Her interested peaked as Jackson entered the lounge quietly. She studied him for a minute before speaking. "Jackson, right?"

Jackson glanced to her before returning his gaze to his locker. "Yes." He meant to be short with her; he wasn't in the mood to engage in conversation.

"A few of us are going to Joe's in a minute," Reed offered. "Do you want to come with us?"

"Thanks, but I'll have to take a rain check," Jackson declined as politely as possible. His eyes shifted to April as she stepped into the lounge. "Are you going, April?" He forced his tone to remain even.

April stopped, feeling like a deer in headlights. What was Jackson doing here? When did he come in? What, he was speaking to her now? She jerked back into reality as Charles threw his pen at her. "Y-yes, I'm going," she finally stuttered, her brows knitting together as she met Jackson's gaze. For once, she did not look away. She studied his eyes, trying to figure out exactly what he was doing. He blew her off weeks ago, and now he was talking to her as if nothing had happened?

Jackson was the one to look away this time; he couldn't explain it, but he didn't like April looking at him that way. She was digging into his soul, or lack there of, and it made him uneasy; he had a lot of mending to do before he could expose himself to her. "Have fun."

April made a noise in the back of her throat, a noise of disgust. Have fun? Have fun?! Was he serious right now? "I plan to," she directed to his back and looked to Charles and Reed, who were standing back watching the show. "Are you ready to go?"

Reed and Charles exchanged a raised eyebrow look before speaking up that they were ready.

Jackson looked over his shoulder, watching her leave. She never looked back. April was a complete mystery to him. Just when he thought he had her figured out, she did a complete one-eighty on him. Jackson was confident that April would not go to the popular bar with the likes of Reed and Charles; they were not good people. They weren't criminals, but...they weren't people worthy of April's companionship. April spread a light to those around her, and the two residents she was hanging with were the types to taint the light. In fact, they were the same people who turned their back on her that day in the cafeteria.

Jackson sighed as he hung his lab coat in his locker. It was apparent that he was going to Joe's tonight.

* * *

"Come on, April," Reed whined and tugged on April's arm as they entered Joe's. "You've got to tell me!"

"I really don't want to talk about it," April stated gently, but firmly, and pried her arm from Reed's grasp.

"But you guys have a heat!" Reed argued.

"Knock if off," Charles frowned, glaring over at Reed. "She doesn't want to talk about it, so let it go. Geez." He rolled his eyes as the three found a table near the bar. "What are we drinking?"

"Long island iced tea," Reed answered.

April was originally planning to just order a diet coke, but Jackson had completely rattled her again. She felt every nerve in her body pulsating with new life. "Dirty martini."

Charles' eyebrows shot skyward. "You want a _what_?"

"You heard me."

Charles nodded in appreciation. "Nice. Mother Teresa is taking a night off."

"Stop calling me that!" April snapped as Charles moved towards the bar.

Jackson slipped into Joe's and quietly eased towards a table in the back corner. He couldn't grasp what April saw in these people. They were constantly putting her down and making her the butt of their jokes. They should be jealous of the goodness in April's heart, but instead they ran her down to make themselves feel better. A thought hit Jackson as his eyes settled on her-had _he_ driven her to this? By cutting ties with her...had Jackson driven her to these wolves in sheeps clothing? The thought made him want to take April as far away from the bar as possible, but...he was biding his time. Jackson was simply here to keep an eye on her and make sure she got home in one piece. The sucking up would begin tomorrow.

An hour or so later April sat at the table alone while Reed was trying to make it with Mark Sloan and Charles and Alex Karev were involved in a pissing contest at the dart board. Both of the residents had long forgotten about April, especially since she wasn't trying to hook up with anyone. April sat quietly at the table and stared into her martini glass, occasionally taking a small sip. It was obvious she wasn't a drinker, but she needed something to calm her nerves tonight. If possible, Jackson adored her even more.

April looked up as someone settled in the chair across from her. "Hey," she said softly, doing a double take.

"Rough day again?" Matthew asked before taking a drink of his beer.

"You could say that," April muttered and took another sip of her martini.

"Want to talk about it?" Matthew offered. "At least we're friends now." He gave her a teasing smile.

April looked to him as a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "It's stupid, really."

"Obviously not," Matthew said and motioned to her glass. "That's not the standard girly drink."

"Girly drink?" April questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah," Matthew chuckled. "You know, a strawberry daiquiri or something."

April swished the alcohol in the glass before clunking the glass onto the table. "It's just...people," she sighed, running her hand through her hair. "One minute, everything is okay, and then...it's like they hate you."

Jackson gripped the table with both hands, feeling it give beneath his grasp. He actually moved to his feet and stood there for a moment before forcing himself to return to the chair. April was _so_ wrong, and she didn't even know it.

"Maybe he was having a bad day too," Matthew offered. "Bad days are quite common, you know."

"How did you know it's a guy?" April asked, quirking her head at him.

Matthew took another drink of his beer. "I have an intuition."

"An intuition?" April laughed. "I thought only girls had those."

"Nope, guys have them too."

"So what's your intuition telling you now?" April asked, settling her palms on the table. She liked Matthew; he was easy to talk to, and things just seemed to flow with him. He always managed to make her smile.

Matthew glanced over his shoulder at the vacant pool table. "My intuition is telling me that I'm going to play pool with a cute redhead tonight."

Jackson rolled his eyes, a noise of disgust leaving his lips. Cute? Seriously? The guy just called April cute?! Cute was how you referred to a twelve year old. April was beautiful, gorgeous, mesmerizing...not cute.

"Smooth," April laughed, sliding out of her chair. "I've got to warn you, I'm not very good."

"That makes two of us then," Matthew grinned as they moved towards the pool table. "Here you go," he spoke as he passed her a pool stick.

April bit the inside of her cheek, looking to the pool table as Matthew racked up the balls. "Hey, Matthew?" she asked timidly.

"Yeah?" Matthew asked as he placed the eight ball in the center.

"When, um, was the-the um, last time..." April stuttered, "a v-vampire was in Seattle?"

Matthew's back stiffened as a chill went down his spine. Now was his chance. The only way he was going to get Nathanial off his case was to lead April off course. Lie to her. Matthew didn't like lying to her, but he feared his uncle more than he valued April's trust at the moment.

Nathanial had visited Matthew every day since his initial threat a month earlier. And each time he dropped in for a visit...he broke something. Earlier in the day Nathanial literally ripped Matthew's truck into multiple pieces. Nathanial was losing patience, and it wouldn't be long before his destruction became physical.

"V-vampires?" Matthew laughed. "Seriously, April?"

April's eyes widened. "But you said!" she accused, throwing a finger in his direction.

"I was just joking," Matthew shook his head as he leaned against the pool table. "I'm sorry, but you were eating it up..."

April frowned deeply, her eyes going to the floor. Ever since her conversation with Matthew, April had a single dream that she dreamt every night. It was more like a memory than a dream. She and Jackson were in the pit, and she dropped a suture kit. Less than a second later Jackson was handing her the very same suture kit. How was that even possible...

"Awww, come on," Matthew interrupted her thoughts. "Don't be mad, April. It was just a joke!"

April looked to him and shook her head. "You really had me going," she laughed. Vampires...yeah, right! This wasn't some teen novel. Vampires didn't exist in the real world.

Matthew pulled the rack from the pool table and tossed it aside. "You wanna break? Since I pulled your leg and all?" Matthew was trying to act casual, but deep down he hoped April believed him. "Holy crap!" he exclaimed with wide eyes. "You sank two balls!" Matthew's mouth dropped as April rounded the pool table and sank a third ball. "I thought you said you couldn't play!"

April gave him a sweet smile. "I was just joking."


	8. Chapter 8 - Mended Bridges

Chapter 8 - Mended Bridges

An hour later Jackson nursed his fourth Jack and coke and watched April beat Matthew in _another_ game of pool. The girl was up three to nothing. Matthew tried to keep a low-profile, but Jackson knew that the guy was beginning to get embarrassed. It wasn't every day that a sweet little redhead schooled a six-foot guy in pool. Matthew was practically shark bait.

Matthew also didn't realize how lucky he was.

Matthew was able to freely talk to April. He could talk and joke with her, and better yet, he could listen to her. He was able to watch her tuck her hair behind her ear when she was frustrated, bite her lip when she was nervous, and roll her eyes when she was irritated. Matthew was able to freely touch her, whether it be a pat on the back or pushing her hair from her face. Matthew was able to just _be_ with her. Matthew wasn't hiding a deep, dark secret that he hoped never saw the light of day. Matthew didn't have to worry that the instincts of his dark soul would take over, and the girl would be dead in his arms before he was able to reign himself in. Matthew had _no_ idea how lucky he was.

"Up for round four?" April smirked as she chalked up her cue.

"No thanks," Matthew shook his head. "Three times is my limit."

"I was just getting warmed up," April laughed as they left the pool table and returned to their table.

"Who in the world taught you to play like that?" Matthew gaped as April slid into her chair.

"A guy in my youth group."

"Nice," Matthew nodded. "Okay, drinks are on me. Another martini?"

"No, two is my limit," April shook her head. "I'll take a diet coke."

"I'll be right back," Matthew grinned before moving towards the bar.

April smiled to herself as she watched him leave. She was slowly growing more and more fond of Matthew. He was sort of like that slow burn; he wasn't an instant wild fire like Jackson, but Matthew was that slow, steady interest. He would be someone she could count on in years to come. April scanned the thinning bar, trying to locate Charles and Reed. It seemed both of her companions had left for the night. A gasp caught in April's throat as her gaze landed on Jackson's; he was staring at her again. Try as she might, April couldn't make herself look away. She watched intently as Jackson waved. Stunned, April looked around behind her; was Jackson actually waving to _her_? April felt the heat in her cheeks as she waved casually and ducked her head, a smile curving her lips. "Hey," she jumped as Matthew plunked a glass at her elbow. "You scared me," she breathed and put her hand to her chest.

"Sorry," Matthew replied sheepishly. "These are congratulations nachos, by the way," he grinned and set a basket of chips and toppings in the middle of the table.

"Mmm, I love nachos," April grinned and grabbed a chip loaded with cheese.

Matthew chuckled and sat down, gazing across the bar. "Are there any other games you're a shark at?"

"Tennis," April giggled and retrieved another chip. "Oh, and basketball."

"Basketball?" Matthew asked skeptically. "You're too short for basketball."

"I am not!" April exclaimed and swatted him on the arm.

"Hello, Matthew," a voice greeted him as someone walked up to their table.

Matthew's entire body went cold as he recognized the voice of his uncle. "Uncle," he greeted, his voice barely above a whisper. "Fancy running into you here."

"I'm meeting someone for drinks," Nathanial spoke smoothly. "I saw you and thought I should check up on you."

"Everything is fine," Matthew cut him off quickly.

"Are you sure?" Nathanial pressed, narrowing his eyes slightly. "The last time we spoke, you had something to take care of...have you taken care of it?"

Matthew pursed his lips. "Yes, Uncle, it's all taken care of."

"Wonderful," Nathanial smiled, his gaze moving over to April. "Who is your friend?"

April blinked. "Hi, I'm April Kepner," she introduced herself and extended her hand.

"April," Nathanial mused, nodding his head slowly as his hand wrapped around hers. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Have you been talking about me?" April directed to Matthew and slapped his arm again.

"No, Jackson Avery speaks very highly of you."

April's mouth went dry and her eyes widened. "H-He does?" she asked.

"He does," Nathanial nodded, holding her gaze for a moment, then looked back to Matthew. "It was nice to see you again, Nephew. Enjoy your night." He clapped Matthew on the shoulder before moving towards the back of the bar.

Jackson gave Nathanial a look as the older vampire moved towards his table, then took a seat. "I thought you were here to check up on me, but..."

"I'm here to check up on Matthew," Nathanial replied and looked towards his nephew. "Has he fixed things with April?"

Jackson bit his tongue, tempted to lie. His conscience wouldn't let him do it though. "He told her he was joking before," Jackson reported.

"Did she believe him?" Nathanial asked, looking over to Jackson.

"She said she did," Jackson shrugged, looking back to April. April was quite again, looking down to the table and toying with the napkin underneath her glass of cola. "Why did you tell her that I spoke highly of her?"

"Because you do."

"It doesn't matter," Jackson snapped. "Once she finds out what I am, she'll-"

"She loves you," Nathanial cut him off.

Jackson stopped talking and stared at the family friend. "No, she doesn't."

"I saw it in her eyes," Nathanial informed him and held Jackson's stare. "There's a certain look that a woman in love gets in her eyes...April has that look." He reached out and retrieved a few mixed nuts from the paper cup beside Jackson's glass. "Did you hear her heart skip? Did you see the color in her cheeks? She loves you."

"She can't love me," Jackson argued, looking back to April and meeting her gaze. "She doesn't know anything about me. How can she love something she knows nothing about?"

Nathanial gave him a skeptical look. "You loved her the moment you lay eyes on her, and you didn't even know her name! How can you love someone when you don't know their name?" he countered. Jackson remained silent. "That is how the mate system works with our kind. You can love every part of them without knowing a single thing about them. It happened with me and Lily, and now it's happening to you."

Jackson opened his mouth to argue again, but he knew that Nathanial's words were true; he loved April since the very moment he saw her. "What do I do," he asked, his voice cracking, "if she finds out what we are?"

Nathanial thought for a moment before answering. "You decide if you want to spend her life lying to her, or if you want to tell her the truth. If she accepts you and wants to be like you..."

"I never want this for her," Jackson cut him off. Wasn't it enough that he'd already caved? Jackson had planned to keep April at arms length, but he'd thrown that out the window. He was going to pursue her the way a woman of value deserved to be pursued, but Jackson refused to make April a creature of the night.

"Then prepare yourself," Nathanial spoke quietly. "Watching her die will be the hardest thing you've ever done."

The words haunted Jackson. Would he be able to hold April's dying body as Nathanial held Lily's? In that last moment, would he want to change her so that she could _survive_? He wouldn't be giving her a life; he'd simply give her a survival of her death.

Jackson's thoughts were interrupted by the words Matthew was muttering at the table he shared with April.

"Sit down," Nathanial growled as his arm shot across Jackson's body. "Do not make a scene. If you do, I'll give you the beating you've had coming for twenty years."

"What?" April stuttered, looking to Matthew as he looked to her expectantly. She'd been so lost in thought that she hadn't even heard him. Jackson really spoke highly of her? What did he say? It must be good things since Matthew's uncle was nice to her. So why was Jackson saying nice things about her, but refusing to talk to her?

Matthew cleared his throat. "I said...are you dating anyone?" Matthew wasn't a fool; he'd noticed Jackson keeping tabs on April tonight. Something was going on, but...if they weren't sitting together, then it couldn't be anything that carried any weight. Matthew thought April was a sweet girl, and she didn't need to get involved with a vampire.

April bit her lip nervously; she knew where this conversation was going. "No, I'm not," she replied, not wanting to lie to Matthew. He'd been nothing but kind to her, and he didn't deserve to be lied to.

Matthew nodded slowly, letting the thought settle in. So nothing was going on with Jackson after all. That was good; that was very good. Matthew shifted his gaze over to Jackson, noticing that Jackson was gripping the table and Nathanial was blocking him. Nathanial shook his head ever so slightly at Matthew, warning him not to do something stupid.

Matthew pursed his lips and looked back to April. "That's a surprise," he tested the waters and grabbed a chip from the nacho basket.

April made a humming noise and took a sip of her coke. "Not when you're a resident. I barely have time to sleep...I don't know how I'd fit a boyfriend into everything." She hoped Matthew was picking up on her subtle hints.

Matthew shifted his eyes over to Jackson. "You should be focusing on your career," he advised. "Save the romance for when you're a kick ass surgeon."

April looked to him and giggled. "You think I'll be a kick ass surgeon?"

"If you perform surgery as well as you play pool, you'll be top in the country."

Jackson felt himself relax as it become apparent that Matthew was not going to attempt dating April. Good. The jerk didn't deserve someone like April. "I'm fine," Jackson spat and looked over to Nathanial.

Nathanial studied him for a few seconds before withdrawing his arm. He looked forward to the day that Jackson would finally grow up. He wondered if he'd ever be lucky enough to witness it.

* * *

The next morning Jackson entered the resident's lounge with a mission in mind. He had everything planned to perfection. He'd checked the schedule when he came in, so he knew that he and April were finally teamed together again, and they were assigned to Dr. Hunt today. It was probably one of the last few times two residents would be assigned to one attending. The merger was working out the last few kinks, and in a matter of days Seattle Grace Mercy West would have one set of attendings, one set of residents, and one set of interns. It was survival of the fittest. Eat or be eaten. Eye of the Tiger. Jackson chuckled to himself and vaguely wondered who actually came up with all of those cliches.

After changing into his scrubs complete with lab coat, name tag, and stethoscope, Jackson raced through the stairwell to the coffee cart near the elevator. He ordered April her coffee with one sugar and two creams. He held the cup affectionately as he boarded the elevator and moved to the first floor. Dr. Hunt had back to back surgeries today, so April would definitely need the caffeine boost. "What the.." Jackson started as the elevator stopped, the doors slid open, and water poured into the elevator. Jackson looked up to see complete chaos.

The floor was filled with attendings, residents, and nurses running around like ants. Water was spraying from the ceiling, trash cans were everywhere to catch the water, and service men were randomly placed amongst the halls.

"Chief?!" Jackson yelled, catching Chief Webber moving by. "Chief, what's going on?!"

"A pipe burst," Chief Webber informed him quickly. "We're moving the patients to another floor until we get all of this repaired."

"That could take all day," Jackson gaped.

"It's being handled," Chief Webber replied. "Grab some patients and get them to dry ground. All surgeries are being rescheduled."

"No kidding," Jackson remarked as the Chief was called elsewhere. Jackson looked around, wondering where April was in all of this mess. He set the cup of coffee at the nurses' station and began evacuating patients from the floor.

An hour later, Jackson returned to the OR floor after taking his fifth patient to another floor. There were only a few beds left in the hospital, so he hoped everyone had been evacuated by now. The Chief may very well have a stroke if they had to start sending patients to another hospital.

Jackson noticed that the floor was thinned of staff and mainly consisted of service personnel. The water was no longer spraying from the ceiling and the trash cans had been removed. Aside from large puddles of water, the floor didn't look like it had endured a flood this morning. "April," Jackson breathed in relief as he finally spotted her leaving the end recovery room.

In a split second Jackson's relief change to panic.

April was checking something on her phone as she was walking past the electrician who was on a ladder repairing the fluorescent light.

Jackson saw the very millisecond the fluorescent light cover slipped from the man's grasp.

In that same millisecond, Jackson lunged himself towards April.

April gasped as a firm, yet gentle force moved her at such a speed that she felt nauseous. "Jackson," she murmured as her whole visual field change. Wasn't she...walking towards the elevator... Where had Jackson come from? She jumped when a light cover clattered to the floor ten feet away from them. April blinked, looking to the light cover, then to Jackson. Her mind felt fuzzy...how did she get here... She felt the wall at her back, but...she wasn't hurt.

"Are you okay?" Jackson breathed, gently sliding his arm from between April's body and the wall.

"Y-yeah," April stuttered, looking around unsurely.

Jackson scowled at the electrician who retrieved the light cover and climbed back up the ladder as if nothing had happened. The stupid man never knew that he could have just severely injured, if not killed, someone else. Then again, Jackson shouldn't be surprised by his ignorance. Jackson had April out of the way before a human eye could comprehend that he had even shifted. "Sit down," Jackson ordered as he guided April to sit, but not before he made sure there were no other careless electricians around. "Take a deep breath," he advised gently and knelt beside her.

April took a slow, deep breath. Why were her hands trembling? And her heart-why was it beating so hard? "Wh-what happened?" she stuttered, looking to Jackson.

"You're feeling faint," Jackson observed, noting the ashen color to her normally rosy cheeks. "Take another deep breath."

April did as he said, then closed her eyes for a moment to block out the dizzy feeling. "Where..where did you come from?"

"I was across the hall," Jackson lied, pointing to the room across the hall from them.

"No, you weren't," April murmured, hanging her head between her knees.

"Deep breaths," Jackson whispered, timidly putting his hand between her shoulders. He rubbed slow circles and felt her body relax beneath his touch.

Several seconds passed before April finally lifted her head and looked at him. Jackson felt a sense of relief when he saw the color returning to her skin. "You weren't down here."

"I've been evacuating patients, just like you," Jackson finally replied after several moments of silence. He wasn't quite sure how to respond to her determination that he came out of nowhere.

April blinked and wrapped her arms around her knees. She had been looking for Jackson since discovering that they were partnered under Dr. Hunt's services today. She would have known if he was near. "I didn't see you," she spoke quietly and looked to him. April looked around again in confusion. "My phone?" she questioned, looking to her empty hands.

Jackson looked around frantically. In his efforts to save April, he'd carelessly forgotten the phone. He cringed when he spotted the phone near the ladder.

April followed his gaze, her eyes settling on the pink encased smart phone. "How did..."

"Can you stand?" Jackson shifted gears, sliding his hand to her elbow.

"I think so," April said as Jackson helped her off of the floor. April let out a frustrated breath and looked from her phone to the wall. What had happened here?!

Jackson watched as his angel tried to piece together what had just occurred. She knew something was wrong, but her bewildered mind was unable to put the pieces together. Jackson moved at a fraction of a second; there was no way her mind even registered his presence as he moved her to safety. "Here," he spoke softly as he retrieved her phone and eased it into her hand.

April looked to the screen on the phone; her lock-screen wasn't even displayed. She had her lock screen set to display after three minutes of idleness. She stuffed the phone into her lab coat as Jackson pushed the button for the elevator. She looked over her shoulder to the man standing on the ladder repairing the light. "What happened, Jackson?"

Jackson looked to her, seeing the innocent confusion in her depths. "You looked like you were feeling faint," he lied. God, how he hated lying to her! "I actually thought you were going to fall, so I caught you."

April looked to her phone, then back to the electrician. "But how..."

"We should go to the cafeteria," Jackson suggested. "Your blood sugar has probably dropped." The doors to the elevator opened and he ushered April inside.

"I thought..." April murmured as the doors closed. She let the words hang before shaking her head. She was losing it. "Thank you," she finally spoke and looked over to Jackson.

Jackson looked over to her and nodded once. "You're welcome." Jackson was completely invested in her now. In that split second, when danger threatened her, his instinct was to protect her. He didn't question it, he didn't doubt it, he simply reacted. He didn't even care that he'd just exposed their existence; the only concern he had was for April's safety.

"I will figure this out," April added after a few seconds of silence.

Jackson smiled patiently. "I know you will." He had no doubt in his mind that April wouldn't stop until she knew the truth about him. Jackson would deal with all of that when the time came. But for now, he would spend each and every second loving April Kepner.


	9. Chapter 9 - The Lost Art of Dating

Chapter 9 - The Lost Art of Dating

One week later Jackson sat in the residents' lounge with a cup of coffee in one hand and a small sack containing a danish in the other.

It had been exactly one week since the incident on the OR floor. Seven days had passed, and...nothing. April had not breathed a word of what happened. In fact, no one had. Not that Jackson was surprised by the latter; after all, no one else knew the potentially fatal accident that could have happened that day. The electrician was clueless that his carelessness had nearly injured a young surgeon. Ignorance is bliss, right?

April though...April was practically fascinated with Jackson now. Each time he spotted her in the cafeteria or in the craziness of the pit, she was looking at him intently. Dissecting him. Trying to learn about him. April knew that there was something different about him; she just couldn't put her finger on exactly what that difference was.

It was a unique feeling for Jackson. April wasn't looking at him in the way that most humans looked at him; she wasn't simply fascinated with him on the physical level. April was truly trying to understand him. A small part of Jackson hoped that she was feeling what he had felt the day he saw her. He had suspected that she was his mate, afterall, she'd managed to do something to him that no other human had accomplished. Only his mate could stop him in his tracks, right? April, however, was cursed with the mind of a human. The slower, duller mind of a human. Perhaps it had simply taken her longer to suspect that he was her mate as well. Didn't humans call it 'soulmate'? Despite her interest and fascination, April did not cross the boundary Jackson had clearly put in place in the elevator that day.

Jackson was honorable enough to recognize that he had hurt April that day on a deep level, and her trust in him was shattered. It was his responsibility to not only apologize to her, but to rebuild her trust. And as of this morning, apology and trust was equivalent to coffee and a danish. Jackson straightened as he heard Reed and April moving towards the lounge.

"Dr. Sloan is _so_ hot," Reed gushed as they left the elevator.

"But he's an attending," April frowned.

"So?" Reed snipped. "He's hot...and he certainly knows what he's doing, if you catch my drift." She gave April this wicked grin that made it quite obvious that she was not talking about Dr. Sloan's surgical skills.

"It's not right to date your boss," April replied as Reed pushed open the door to the residents' lounge. "If he shows you favortism, everyone will know it, and if he doesn't, then you're going to be mad at him."

"We're not even dating," Reed scoffed as she stuffed her arms into her lab coat. "We're just...releasing tension." She glanced over to April. "You should try it sometime."

Jackson watched April shift uncomfortably. "April," he spoke her name loud and strong.

April looked over to him as her brows furrowed. "Yes, Jackson?" she asked, studying him. Jackson Avery was a complete mystery to her. One second he was her friend, the next he was pushing her away, and then he was saving her life. At least, she thought he was saving her life...she still wasn't quite clear on what exactly happened a week ago.

Jackson's eyes briefly flickered to Reed who was studying them intently. Jackson looked back to April and simply extended his hand, patting the empty space on the bench beside him. April's eyebrows shot up and she swallowed a lump in her throat before she cautiously moved to the bench and eased down beside him, but she made a point to put a fair amount of distance between them. "Have you eaten?" he asked quietly, holding her gaze.

April stared at him for several moments of silence before she jarred from her trance. Jackson was weaving that spell over her again; that spell where she wasn't even certain what her name was, let alone if she had eaten breakfast or not. She weeded through her foggy thoughts. "No," she finally answered as her stomach rumbled, as if giving her a clue. "I have not eaten."

Jackson set the coffee and danish on the neutral plane of the bench between them. "I thought you might like breakfast."

April looked over to the cup and sack, then watched as Jackson clasped his hands in front of him. "You bought me breakfast?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes," Jackson replied simply.

April's eyes moved to the cup of coffee. "What's in the coffee?"

"One sugar and two creams," Jackson replied automatically.

April quirked her head and looked at him. After all this time, he still remembered how she took her coffee. "I will never understand you, Jackson Avery," she mused before opening the sack and smiling. "Thank you."

Jackson smiled to himself as he watched her break off a piece of the danish and pop it into her mouth. His gaze filled with irritation and shifted to the gawking Reed. She withered beneath his intimidating glare and hurried from the lounge. "Who are you with today?"

"Dr. Shepherd," April replied, still taken aback that Jackson was not only speaking to her, but initiating a conversation as well. She looked down to the danish. "Would you like a piece?" she asked timidly, breaking off a bite of the pastry and holding it out to him.

"Thanks," Jackson replied quietly, taking the piece from her carefully, but making sure to brush his fingers against hers. He smiled when April's cheeks flamed. "Do you have a surgery this morning?"

"Yes, a craniotomy," April replied and took a sip of her coffee.

"May I walk you to surgery?" Jackson asked.

April blinked. "Y-you want to walk me to surgery?" she clarified. Had she heard him right?

"If that's okay."

April felt her mind short-circuiting. "I would like that," she finally replied honestly. April gave him sideways glances as she finished her danish. "Are you okay?" she finally blurted out, shifting on the bench to face him.

"What makes you ask that?" Jackson asked, his brows knitting together.

April licked her lips before speaking again. "We've hardly talked for like, a month. And now, you show up with breakfast, and you want to walk with me to surgery? I don't get it." Normally she wouldn't be so bold, but April wanted to know what was going through Jackson's head. He had done a complete one-eighty on her, and it was screwing with her head.

"I'm sorry for what I said before," Jackson apologized sincerely. "I was having a bad day, and I took it out on you. I am so sorry, April."

April knew that he meant it. She couldn't explain how she knew, but...she knew. "It's okay," she replied softly. "We all have those days..."

"It's not okay," Jackson cut her off gently, but firmly. "You didn't deserve it, and I'm sorry." He hovered his hand over hers, hesitating for a second before finally settling his hand on top of hers.

April looked down to his hand, then trailed her eyes up his arm and to that gorgeous face of his. "You have to stop," she said and pulled her hand away before moving to her feet.

"What?" Jackson asked, clearly confused, as he watched her begin to pace back and forth in the lounge.

"You've got to stop this!" April exclaimed, throwing her hands up. "You just...you do this, and you just...ugh, you make me unable to...to _think_, and it's annoying!" She threw a finger in his direction. "Stop making me...not...think!"

Jackson's eyebrows raised. "That...didn't make any sense..."

"I know!" April exclaimed, taking a step back as Jackson moved to his feet. "I know it didn't, and do you know how I know?! Because I know how...how flustered I get when you look at me!"

There it was. Finally, a confirmation of her feelings.

"Flustered?" Jackson smiled, clearly amused.

"Yes, and it's not funny!" April frowned, her gaze shifting to the door of the lounge as Charles entered. "Go away!" she directed at him.

"But I have to-" Charles started.

"I said go!"

Charles looked to Jackson. "Enjoy your handful," he muttered before leaving the lounge.

"April," Jackson spoke her name calmly, holding his hand up. "Take a breath. I'm just walking you to surgery; that's all."

April sighed heavily, letting her arms fall to her side in defeat. "Why?" she asked quietly.

Jackson took a breath before speaking. "I want to get to know you."

"I'd like that," April finally whispered after minutes of silence. She had been interested in Jackson since the day of the merger. There was something in him that naturally drew her to him...it's like they were pieces of a puzzle that fit together. April had thought that she and Jackson were actually developing something until he so randomly pushed her away. Now..now all was forgiven.

Jackson nodded and leaned down, retrieving her coffee cup. He fit it into her hand wordlessly as they quietly left the residents' lounge. Together.

"Are you going to tell me how you just appeared last week?" April asked softly as they boarded the empty elevator.

"I already told you," Jackson replied smoothly as he pressed the button for the surgical floor. "I was across the hall evacuating patients."

"You weren't across the hall," April replied stubbornly.

"Yes, I was."

"You were not!" she exclaimed, her voice rising. "I was looking forward to seeing you; I would have known if you were there." She ducked her head after her confession.

Jackson smiled at her affectionately. "I was looking forward to seeing you too."

April looked to him and bit her lip. "Then why were you so rude a month ago?"

"Because it's probably best that you stay away from me," Jackson stated simply as the doors to the elevator opened and they started down the hall.

April considered what he said. Why was he trying to push her away, but then being nice to her? If she should stay away from him, why was he encouraging her to hang out with him? Boy, was she confused. "When are you going to tell me what happened last week?" she changed subjects.

Jackson sighed heavily before looking over to her. "When the time is right."

April nodded slowly, seeming satisfied with his answer. "We're in this thing, right?" she asked as they stopped walking. "I'm not going to come to work tomorrow, and you're ignoring me again, am I?"

Jackson winced slightly. "No, you won't," he promised. "I don't plan to ignore you ever again."

April sighed, feeling her heart melt and her stomach flip flop all at the same time. "Good," she said simply before turning as Dr. Shepherd called her to the OR board. "I'll see you later?"

"Yes, you will," Jackson smiled and watched her leave, feeling a peace settle within him. After hours, days, and weeks of being tormented by his inner demons, Jackson had finally given in. He'd given in to the temptation of April Kepner. He knew he probably should have put as much distance between them as possible, but for once he was choosing to be selfish. He was choosing to make himself happy. Luckily, being with him made April happy as well, and that was the most important thing of all.

Time rolled on as Jackson actively pursued April. Each morning he waited for her by the elevator with breakfast in hand, and each day at lunch he saved her a seat. He took advantage of their hours at the hospital to truly learn every single thing about her. He _wanted_ to know every little thing about her. What was her favorite color? What was her hometown like? What were her views on marriage and religion? April was the most interesting human he'd met in his entire existence. She was sweet, yet sassy. Quiet, yet opinionated. Shy, yet bold. She was a truly fascinating person, and Jackson fell more and more in love with her with each conversation that passed.

It was a Friday afternoon when Jackson knew that it was time to take things to the next level. Jackson and April were practically inseparable, but...there was not a definition to exactly what they were. He hoped April hadn't friend-zoned him.

The thought hit Jackson in the middle of a lipoplasty with Dr. Sloan.

What if April had already friend-zoned in?

Jackson considered himself courting April. Sure, it was an old-fashioned term that his mother used when he was a teenager, but he liked the sound of it in regards to April. He was pursuing her. He was giving her the attention and respect she deserved with none of the sexual pressure. A woman like April deserved to be pursued. April deserved to be lavished with care, interest, gifts, flowers, the whole nine yards.

Perhaps Jackson had taken things a little too slowly; he didn't want April to think he was not interested in her romantically. Not only was he interested in April romantically, but he was drawn to her. His existence didn't feel complete without her.

After finishing his surgeries with Dr. Sloan, Jackson left the OR and waited for April in the residents' lounge. He actually felt nervous! The emotion made him chuckle; Jackson had not been nervous in nearly ten years. "April," he smiled her name when she entered the lounge.

"Hey, Jackson," April smiled in return, feeling the blush in her cheeks. Her day instantly perked up when she saw him. "How was your day?" she asked as she shrugged out of her lab coat.

"Plastics with Dr. Sloan," Jackson smirked. "Saving the world one tummy-tuck at a time."

"Jackson," April scolded. "You can't blame a woman for wanting to be beautiful for her man."

"The most beautiful thing she can be is herself," Jackson replied, gazing at her intently.

April released a slow breath through parted lips, feeling her legs weaken beneath her. She never knew men could _say_ things like that! Sure, she'd read lines like that in romance novels, but to have such a gorgeous man sitting in front of her...saying those things to her...it was almost too much to believe.

Jackson watched her another second before looking away. It was obvious his vampire charms were working their magic on her...and he wasn't even _trying_ to lure her to him! "Do you have any plans tomorrow?" he asked, casting a quick glance back to her.

"I'm off tomorrow," April sighed after she pulled her duffel bag from her locker. "I swear, after the day I've had, it couldn't come soon enough."

Jackson smiled patiently as April clearly did not understand where this conversation was headed. "Do you have any plans?" he repeated.

April stepped a few steps towards him and paused. "No," she said after thinking for a few moments. "I was going to read, maybe clean a little," she shrugged.

Jackson licked his bottom lip before speaking. This was it. "If you don't have any plans for dinner, I would like to take you to La Bella Luna for dinner."

April's eyes grew round. "La Bella Luna?" she squeaked. Not only was La Bella Luna ranked the second best Italian restaurant in Seattle, but it was known for its charming, romantic atmosphere. Her mouth went dry when Jackson nodded. "L-Like a d-date?"

"Yes, like a date," Jackson answered with as straight of a face as possible. April was so adorably charming...it really took him by surprise sometimes.

April bit her bottom lip and nodded. "I'd love to."

Jackson smiled. "Is six o'clock a good time for you?"

April sighed softly and quirked her head at him. Any time he wanted was a good time for her! "Six o'clock is perfect."

"I will pick you up tomorrow then," Jackson replied before taking a few steps towards the lounge door.

"W-wouldn't it be easier to m-meet there?" April stuttered.

Jackson turned and looked to her. "It would be, but I'd like to pick you up."

"Okay," April grinned like a fool. "I'll see you tomorrow."

As soon as Jackson left the residents' lounge and the door closed behind him, he heard April shrieking and squealing. He chuckled to himself as he heard her scream 'yes!' over and over again. As Jackson neared the elevator, he forced his senses to focus on something other than April; she would be embarassed if she knew that he was able to hear her cheers of excitement. What she didn't know though, was that her sounds of happiness were like music to his ears.

The next evening, April stepped into her heels as her doorbell rang. "Oh my god, oh my god," she panicked and tousled her hair. Should she have pulled her hair up? Did she have on too much make up? Did this dress make her look fat? "Coming!" she exclaimed as her doorbell rang again. April stepped over the other six dresses she'd already tried on and tossed aside. She pulled the door to her bedroom closed and hurried across her small apartment, throwing open her front door. "Hey," she breathed as her eyes took Jackson in. "You look great," she blurted out as her eyes roamed over the black slacks and grey button down dress shirt. Her mouth went dry as she noticed that the first two buttons of his shirt were unbuttoned.

"You look...beautiful," Jackson breathed. The simple black cocktail dress and heels made April look as if she'd just stepped out of a magazine.

"I tried on, like, ten dresses," April stumbled nervously as she smoothed her hands over her dress. She cringed inwardly; why was she being so goofy?!

"I'm sure you were beautiful in all of them," Jackson replied seriously.

April ducked her head as she blushed deeply. "Thank you," she whispered, then took a step back. "I need to, uh, get my purse. Just a minute," she held up a finger before moving to a closet.

Jackson shifted towards her, but groaned as he felt the change in the atmosphere.

He was not invited into her home. The invisible barrier may as well have been a brick wall.

April glanced over to him. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Jackson covered as he took a step back. "Mom always said it's rude to barge into someone's home."

April glanced over to him around her open closet door. "It's okay, just..."

"We really should be going," Jackson talked over her. It might be best that he was not invited into her apartment. April needed at least one safe place from him just in case things went sour tonight. Jackson felt in control of himself at the moment, but there was always a chance that his control could weaken and he could hurt her. He would never hurt her intentionally, but...she was never fully safe with him. What if he had convinced himself that she was his mate, but in reality, he just lusted her blood?

April pulled her purse onto her shoulder and stepped outside, closing the door behind her and locking up. She dropped her keys into her purse and took his extended arm as they left the apartment building behind.

Four hours later, April practically floated towards her apartment. She felt as if she were walking on air. Tonight was the best date she'd ever had in her entire life.

Jackson was simply amazing. He opened doors for her, pulled out chairs, helped her into and out of his car...he did everything that she thought guys were no longer capable of doing. He focused on her at dinner; not once did his eyes wander to a prettier girl. They talked and laughed over dinner and wine, danced, and had a romantic walk after leaving the restaurant. When it turned cool, Jackson offered her a dinner jacket he had in the backseat of his car. It was only then that he confessed that he thought the jacket was too much for a first date, so he'd tossed it in his car after pulling into her apartment complex.

"I had a wonderful time tonight," April beamed as Jackson walked her to her door.

"So did I," Jackson smiled, relieved. He wanted April to have a nice time, but more importantly, he needed to make sure that he could trust himself around her. She was obviously his mate because he did not lust for her blood a single time tonight. He was still acutely aware of her heartbeat and pulse points, but Jackson could withstand the temptation of her blood. He loved her too much to ever hurt her. "I would like for us to go out again sometime."

April ducked her head, a smile crossing her lips as she pulled the keys from her purse. "I would like that too," she said softly and looked back to him.

Jackson watched as April fumbled with her keys. Jackson had dated enough to know what that movement was code for; she wanted him to kiss her goodnight. "I'll see you tomorrow?" he stalled, having to prepare himself to kiss her. This was the first kiss with his mate...it had to be memorable for her.

"I'll be there," April replied, looking to her keys, then moving her eyes to his.

Jackson shifted towards her and instantly noticed that her heart skipped a beat. "Goodnight, April," he spoke softly as he tucked her hair behind her ear. Finally, finally he was able to do that little intimate thing.

"Goodnight, Jackson," she whispered, catching his wrist with her hand. Seconds later April closed her eyes as his lips touched hers. It was a soft and gentle, yet earth-shattering kiss. She felt fireworks explode in her veins.

Jackson's arm instinctively wrapped around April's waist as he felt her go limp against him. He pulled away gently. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said quietly as he stepped away, finally withdrawing his hand from her waist.

April brought her fingers to her lips, feeling the warmth that still lingered. She waved goodbye to Jackson before turning to her door. Her brows furrowed as she noticed the manilla envelope leaned against her door. She tucked the envelope under her arm and opened the door to her apartment, leaning against it after she closed it.

She was completely head over heels in love with Jackson. April turned her nose into his jacket, inhaling his scent deeply. Jackson always smelled _so_ good.

April danced around her apartment, draping her purse over a dining room chair and slipping off her heels before settling on the couch and examining the envelope. It was hand addressed to her, so it wasn't something the postman stuck in her neighbor's mailbox by mistake. "Hmmmm," she mused as she ripped open the envelope, pulling out two pieces of paper. "You should know what you're getting involved with," she read aloud. "Text me if you have any questions. Do not call me." Her eyes skimmed over a phone number before she looked for a signature. Turning the paper over in her hands, April realized that the note wasn't signed. "Strange," she muttered and set the paper aside.

April snuggled into Jackson's jacket and turned over the yellowed piece of paper in her hand. It was a clipping from a newspaper. An obituary in fact. Who would send her an obituary from an old newspaper? April's eyes widened and her hand flew to her mouth as a gasp raked through her whole body.

She was reading Jackson Avery's obituary.


	10. Chapter 10 - All Good Things

**A/N - Thank you all sooooooo much for the flood of reviews for chapter 9! I was truly amazed and am forever grateful :)**

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Chapter 10 - All Good Things Come to an End

April sat on her couch stunned. It felt as if time stopped all together. She sat there seconds...minutes...hours before her body finally registered a reaction. April moved to her feet, tossing aside the newspaper clipping and wrapping her arms around herself. "No," she muttered, shaking her head. "No, no, no!" Her hands smoothed over her hair and clasped at the nape of her neck as she looked to the obituary on the floor. No! This couldn't be happening!

April started to pace the small living room floor of her apartment. Jackson wasn't the only Jackson Avery in the history of the planet. There were hundreds, maybe even thousands, of Jackson Averys...it had to be another Jackson Avery. Plain and simple. Her Jackson Avery was very much alive! She'd just had a date with him! He'd just given her the most heart stopping, earth shattering kiss she'd ever experienced. Jackson was alive! He wasn't dead!

This was obviously someone's idea of a joke! A sick and twisted joke. Yes, that was it!

April nodded with determination and snatched up the obituary, holding it between her fingers preparing to shred it into millions of pieces. However, a single word caught her attention that made her stomach drop.

_Catherine_

April's eyes widened as she lowered herself to the floor and gripped the newspaper clipping like a lifeline. "Survived in death by his mother, Catherine Avery," she read aloud, her voice dropping at the end.

Catherine Avery... What were the odds...

April felt her head spin as the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. The obituary she was reading was the obituary of _her_ Jackson Avery, not some random Jackson Avery that lived in Florida or something. April gripped the paper, scanning for a date. _July 17, 1954_

The paper fluttered to the floor as April felt her vision blur. She squeezed her eyes closed, trying to ward off the feeling of nausea. Jackson died sixty years ago...

No! April shakily pushed her trembling body into a standing position. There had to be a reasonable explanation for all of this! Maybe Jackson, her Jackson, was Jackson the second, or even Jackson the third. Sons were named after their fathers all of the time, right? Yes, that had to be it! And the Catherine thing...well, that was a coincidence! Or maybe Catherine was named after her grandmother or something..

April was grasping for straws, and she knew it. She was trying so hard to make sense of the information dropped in her lap, but in reality she didn't know what to make of anything at this point. None of it was making sense.

A flash of a memory made April gasp.

The suture kit. Jackson's lightening quick reflexes. _ I know it's going to sound crazy, but..there's been talk for years that there are...vampires in Seattle._

The thought made April stop cold. Her mind flashed through images in her head like images of a camera. The suture kit, talking with Matthew, Jackson appearing out of nowhere during the flood... Vampires moved fast, right?

"No," April instructed herself. "Vampires don't exist!" She tried to make her voice strong, but it was too late; the thought had already taken root in her mind.

April shrugged out of Jackson's jacket, watching it fall to the floor. Was it possible that vampires actually existed? April laughed at herself nervously. Seriously? She was pursuing a career in medicine, yet she was _actually_ entertaining the thought of vampires. Seriously?! If Chief Webber knew that, he'd probably have her committed to the state hospital!

April continued to pace her living room, trying to focus on her physical response to the information. She took slow, deep breaths, forcing her heart rate to return to normal. April turned to move to her bathroom to wash her face when her eyes landed on the first sheet of paper that was tossed aside on her sofa. The note.

April stared at the sheet of paper for several moments before snapping it up and programming the number into her cell phone. _Who is this_ she typed out quickly and pushed the send button before she lost her nerve. She eased to the sofa and held her breath.

The man looked over from his book as his pay-as-you-go cellphone dinged. His untraceable cellphone; neither Catherine, Jackson, nor Nathanial would be able to trace the leak back to him. He supposed it was the coward's way to approach the situation, but he had to warn April. And he had to protect himself at the same time.

April jumped as her text tone rang out in the silent apartment seconds later.

_I can not reveal my identity_ the text read. _Do you have any questions?_

Did she have any questions?! Of course she had questions! She had thousands of questions! _Why did you give this to me?_ April text back.

_You needed to know the truth._

_What IS the truth?_

The man read her text and hesitated. He was not at liberty to tell her straight-forward. _You've been given the information. Deep down, you know the truth_

April read the text and clutched the phone tightly in her hands. Her mind again reflected on the suture kit, Jackson pushing her out of harms way, and her conversation with Matthew. Seattle had dark roots he'd said. It was believed that there were vampires in the city, and obviously they'd been there for many decades. April's eyes shifted to the fallen obituary. Her fingers shook as she typed out her next text. _Is Jackson a vampire?_

_Yes._

"Oh God," April cried out, throwing the phone onto the floor as if it'd caught on fire. She was on her feet again and pacing about her apartment. She felt the anxiety taking over her system, and she couldn't be still. She had to move. She wrung her hands as she paced, her mind running a hundred miles a second.

Vampires actually existed, and Jackson was one of them! How could he be a vampire though? He wasn't cool to the touch, he moved in the sun, and he had yet to attempt to kill her. Would he try to kill her? How was he a doctor? How did he survive? What did he eat? Oh my God, did he kill people?

April put her palms to her temples, applying pressure, as if she were trying to physically force the thoughts from her head. How could she face him tomorrow? Should she confront him? Should she go to the police station and tell someone? Should she move back to Ohio?

April stayed awake most of the night, pacing back and forth in her small apartment. Her mind was flooded with fear. Nothing would ever be the same again.

* * *

The next morning Jackson waited for April at the elevator with a blueberry muffin and coffee. He found himself smiling as he eagerly looked forward to her arrival. Actually, he'd been smiling since he left her apartment the night before. Everything changed for Jackson last night. He was able to spend quality time with the person he loved, and things didn't end badly. He didn't have the desire to drain the young woman; he simply loved her. Jackson was meant to be with April. Today, Jackson was going to tell April what she meant to him, and how much he loved her. Yes, after one date he was going to tell her that he loved her.

Jackson continued to wait, slowly growing concerned by April's absence. Where was she? She was usually here by now. He pulled out his cellphone, dialing her number quickly. He frowned and ended the call as it went directly to voice mail. That wasn't like April to have her phone turned off.

Five minutes ticked by, then ten, then fifteen with still no sign of April. Was it possible that she was called in early? Jackson turned towards the elevator as the doors slid open and Reed hurried from inside. "Reed," Jackson called, watching the young woman stop and spin towards him. "Have you seen April?"

"Oh, April's in surgery with Dr. Avery, uh, your mom," Reed replied, then studied him.

Jackson's eyebrows raised. "She's in surgery with my mom?"

"Yeah, didn't she tell you?" Reed asked with a raised eyebrow.

Jackson's brows knit together. "I haven't checked my phone," he blew it off as he noticed Reed studying him closely. "Thanks for telling me." He turned and boarded the elevator before the woman could bombard him with any further questions.

April was in surgery with his mother? And she hadn't bothered to tell him? Not even a text to say that she was paged in early? That was strange...and not like April at all. For the past month, Jackson and April seemed to have this unestablished routine. Each morning Jackson would meet her at the elevator with breakfast, they'd talk all the way up to the residents' lounge, and then they'd part ways until lunch. It was a routine that Jackson was quite fond of, and it was a wonderful way for him to start his day. He was able to see the woman he loved each and every morning; what could be better than that?"

After entering the residents' lounge, Jackson tossed the cup of coffee into the garbage can and put the blueberry muffin in her locker; maybe she would enjoy it after surgery.

Jackson pulled on his lab coat slowly as a heavy feeling settled over him. He couldn't pinpoint it, but he didn't think today was going to be a good day at all.

* * *

"Dr. Kepner, you're shaking again," Catherine Avery frowned and shifted hard eyes to the woman standing across from her.

"I'm s-sorry," April stuttered, taking a breath. She should have known that she wasn't ready for this! After not being able to fall asleep, April had come into the hospital early. Catherine Avery was called in for an emergency surgery and needed a resident; April had actually _volunteered_ to join the vampire in surgery.

April was an intelligent, logical person. After the shock finally seeped from her system, April realized that if Jackson was a vampire, and Catherine Avery 'survived' his death, then Catherine must be a vampire too. It was an obvious assumption to make-after all, how could Catherine be alive in the fifties, and still be alive today? Next, April's logic kicked in; Catherine and Jackson had moved in the hospital for months now. They were vampires, and they walked among humans every day, and April had yet to see them rip into someone's throat or something. Whatever they were, however they were living, they were not harming people. The night before, Jackson never even made a move to hurt April. In fact, the whole time they'd been friends Jackson hadn't hurt her. He actually keep his distance from her on most occasions. So maybe they were good vampires; good vampires existed, just like good people existed, right?

So, April thought she was going to face her fear, join Catherine Avery in surgery, and be just fine.

April was far from fine. She was afraid, plain and simple. Knowing that she was standing across from something that could end her life scared her. April jumped when Catherine barked at her again. "I'm sorry!" she squeaked and took a slow breath, trying to focus on the patient that lay before her on the table rather than focusing on the vampire that stood across from her.

Catherine studied the young woman. "What is wrong with you, Kepner?" she frowned. "You were highly recommended by Dr. Shepherd. And frankly, I'm not seeing anything that impresses me right now."

April felt the heat flood her cheeks as she cleared her throat. "I-I'm s-sorry Dr. Avery," she stuttered. "I didn't sl-sleep last night, so I am off my game." She left out the part about going out with the woman's son.

Catherine's eyes flicked over the surgeon, noticing the ashen color to her skin and the bags under her eyes. "It is best to come to work prepared," she softened her tone.

"I apologize for not being at my best today," April spoke before taking a deep breath. It was now or never; she had to have a true confirmation. "I was researching the history of Seattle, and lost track of the time."

Catherine glanced at her before returning to work on her patient. "Did you find anything interesting?"

April nodded. "Yes. Seattle is much more interesting than any place in Ohio." She tried to be flippant, but she felt that her trembling voice was giving her away. She cleared her throat before speaking again. "Some of the stuff I read was quite silly, though." April figured that baiting a vampire was probably not the best idea in the world, but she had to know the truth about the Avery family.

"Oh, really?" Catherine asked, not really paying the young woman much attention. "What did you discover?"

April took a small breath, watching as Catherine continued stitching. "Some people thought there were vampires in the city."

Catherine hesitated for half of a second before continuing her stitch. "Vampires?" she laughed. "That's ridiculous!"

"I know, right?" April forced a laugh and shook her head. "It was just silly rumors, you know. Men having fatal car crashes and then later turning up alive."

Catherine's eyes moved to the resident's eyes and held her gaze. April knew. April knew, and she was testing the waters. "Not everything is as it seems." Catherine watched the girl pale even more, if possible. Catherine picked up on the pounding of April's heart, and she could practically feel the fear emanating from the shaking human. "Good work today, Dr. Kepner, but I can take it from here."

"Yes, Dr. Avery," April nodded and retracted her hands from the patient. "Thank you for allowing me to assist," she squeaked before running from the table.

Catherine watched the girl shakily wash her hands before bolting from the OR. "Oh boy," she sighed heavily before returning to her work.

* * *

Jackson sat at his usual table in the cafeteria during lunch hour, listening closely for the sound of April. She'd been unusually quiet today. He'd been called in on an emergency surgery with Dr. Bailey after talking to Reed, so Jackson had been unable to listen for April throughout the day as he usually did. It bothered him that he hadn't seen her yet; was something wrong? Was she disappointed after their date last night?

Jackson frowned when his cell rang. He fished the phone from his lab coat pocket and looked to it, frowning at the screen when the caller wasn't April. It was his mother. _Again_. The woman had called him about ten times today; he didn't know what her problem was. Jackson pressed the 'ignore' button and stuffed the phone back into his pocket. He'd been through this a hundred times with Catherine-don't act like my mom at work. How hard was that?

Jackson pushed around the food on his plate, not very interested in eating. He sharpened his senses as he picked up Reed's voice. He closed his eyes for a moment, hoping that April was with her.

"How did things go with you and Jackson last night?" Reed asked as they opened the door to the stairwell. "You never called me!"

"Sorry," April apologized sheepishly. Her mind flickered back to the way she'd felt a mere twelve hours earlier. It was amazing how one little slip of paper could change everything. April reached into her pocket, her fingers sliding around the obituary. "It was..." All of the emotions from the night before flooded her system. "It was wonderful...he's wonderful..." She sighed heavily. Jackson was an amazing guy...that's what made everything so hard! She loved Jackson; she wanted to be with Jackson! She just wasn't sure if she could handle that he was a vampire.

"Did he kiss you?" Reed questioned as they continued down the stairs towards the cafeteria.

April smiled at the memory. "He did," she sighed. "It was...an amazing kiss."

"Did anything else happen?" Reed grinned wickedly.

April smacked her on the arm. "Jackson's a gentleman. He is sweet, funny, charming..."

"Gorgeous," Reed interrupted.

"He's more than his looks," April snapped defensively. Jackson had so many things going for him...that's why she felt as if she'd been put through a sausage grinder. If Jackson wasn't such a wonderful man, she could have left him in the dust without a glance back. However, April had fallen so in love with him that she wasn't sure if she _wanted_ to go back to her life without him.

"You're really not going to give me any details, are you?" Reed pouted.

"Nope," April smirked as they reached the cafeteria door.

"You suck," Reed informed her before pulling open the cafeteria door and moving to the lunch line.

April's eyes immediately rested on Jackson's. Seeing him again made her soul sigh. No matter what he was, April loved him.

Jackson watched April intently as she walked rigidly towards their usual table. His eyes narrowed slightly-something was wrong. "Are you okay?" he asked, noting the pounding of her heart as she sat across from him.

"Yeah, I'm fine," April lied and fumbled with her hands.

"Are you sure?" Jackson pressed, feeling an uneasiness settle in his core. "You don't seem yourself."

April moved her hands to the table, starting to drum her fingers nervously. A part of her still didn't believe it; someone must be playing a joke on her! Jackson couldn't possibly be a vampire! It didn't matter that the Jackson Avery in the obituary had a mother named Catherine Avery...that wasn't the same Jackson that was sitting in front of her! It couldn't be!

There was only one clue April was missing; a clue that she prayed wasn't true.

"M-my da-dad," April stuttered, looking to the table top. "He, uh, he sent me a text while I was in surgery...he m-misses me..." She took a deep breath to settle her nerves.

Jackson studied her for a moment, noting the paleness to her skin and the tremors to her hands. "You miss him too?" he asked as he gently covered her hands with his.

April's entire body calmed when Jackson touched her. She finally met his gaze, quirking her head as she stared into his eyes. How could this gentle, kind man before her be a monster? "I do," she said quietly. She took a shaky breath and looked back to her hands. "Do you miss your father too?"

Jackson pursed his lips, shifting his gaze to their joined hands. "I rarely think about him," he finally admitted. "He died a long time ago...I don't remember very much about him..."

April nodded slowly, closing her eyes for a moment to mentally prepare herself for the next question she was going to ask. "What was your father's name?"

"Henry."

April felt a cold chill run down her spine. Henry; Jackson's father's name was Henry. Henry Avery, the same name that was in the obituary. The final piece to the puzzle was in place.

Jackson died in a car accident sixty years ago.

Jackson was a vampire.

"I, I have t-t-to go-go," April blurted out, pulling her hands from his. "I, uh, forgot to do the post op notes from Dr. Avery's s-surgery." She stumbled to her feet, knocking over the chair in her haste. "I-I'll s-see you later."

Jackson's eyebrows knit together as he watched April flee the cafeteria. What in the world was wrong with her? Had someone upset her? Were her supposed 'friends' mean to her this morning? Had his mother made April doubt her abilities?! Is _that_ why Catherine was blowing up his phone? As if on cue, Jackson's phone rang again. "What?" he growled after putting the phone to his ear. He didn't even have to check the caller id; he knew it was his mother.

"Why haven't you answered?" Catherine asked sharply.

"We've discussed this," Jackson replied through gritted teeth. "Don't play the mother card when we're at work." He brought his free hand to the bridge of his nose, applying pressure. His mother always managed to irritate him. "What's the freaking emergency?"

"April knows."

Jackson stiffened in the chair as his grip tightened around the cellphone. "What did you say?" he asked lowly.

"April knows," Catherine repeated. "She referenced your accident in surgery today...that's why I've been calling you!"

Jackson mechanically ended the call, turned his phone off, and dropped the cell into his lab coat pocket. He laced his fingers together and stared at the table as he focused his senses, trying to grasp April's voice.

April ran up the stairs, pumping her legs as hard as she could. She burst onto the fourth floor and ran for the on-call room, slamming the door closed behind her and locking it quickly. "Oh my God, oh my God," she panicked again as she collapsed onto the bottom bunk.

A small, naive part of her hoped that this was some grand hoax. Perhaps Matthew was still teasing her, and he really wanted her to believe that vampires existed. Maybe he and Jackson were in on it together or something.

April stuffed her trembling hands into her lab coat and pulled out the obituary. "Jackson Avery," she whispered, "passed away Friday, July seventeenth, from injuries sustained in a fatal car crash. Jackson Avery was preceded in death by his father, Henry Avery, and was survived in death by his mother, Catherine Avery." She choked back tears and squeezed her eyes closed.

Jackson sat frozen in the cafeteria as he listened to April's thundering heart, gasping breath, and frightened words. She was completely devastated by this, and he couldn't blame her for that. It must be terrible for her to learn that someone she cared about was a creature of the night. A demon.

Jackson listened to April for over an hour. He listened as the panic subsided and she grew quiet. He wasn't sure what she was thinking, but he hoped and prayed that she had processed the information and decided to give him a chance. He at least deserved the chance to explain! He would never in a million years hurt her! He'd drive a stake through his own heart first!

Jackson glared at his pager as it blared loudly. Dr. Bailey obviously needed him. Jackson forced himself to leave the cafeteria and continue on with his residency as if nothing had changed. He wished he had been able to tell April the truth; he hated that she found out this way. The only thing he could do now was move forward and hope that April could find it within herself to give him a chance. Jackson wasn't sure if he could continue on without her.

* * *

Late that evening, April squared her shoulders as she walked towards the residents' lounge. She knew that Jackson would be waiting for her; every night for the past month he'd waited for her so that he could walk with her to her car and tell her goodnight before she left. Tonight wouldn't be any different.

April had spent the past three hours mentally preparing herself for how she was going to approach Jackson tonight. Everything between them was about to change.

April had experienced a roller-coaster of emotions. One second she was panicking and the next moment she felt peace. One minute she was determined she would run from Jackson, and the next she decided that she could handle it. April still wasn't exactly sure what she was going to do; the only thing she was certain of was that she had to hear the words from Jackson. He had to confirm it to her that he was a vampire. She refused to believe it otherwise, no matter how many newspaper clippings were dropped at her door.

April took a deep breath and entered the residents' lounge, closing the door behind her. "Hey," she spoke quietly as her eyes settled on Jackson. He was sitting on the bench with his elbows on his knees and his head dropped into his hands.

Jackson raised his head and gazed at her affectionately, memorizing every feature of her face. He had a feeling that this would be the last time he'd see her. "Hey," he replied quietly.

April took a step towards him, reaching into her lab coat as she walked. "H-here," she stuttered, extending the newspaper clipping to him with trembling fingers.

Jackson took the slip of paper from her, scanning it quickly. "Where did you get this?" he asked, looking back to her and rising slowly from the bench.

April instinctively took a step back. "I-It doesn't m-matter," she whispered, feeling her throat tighten. She cleared her throat and swallowed hard before speaking again. "Is that tr-true?" she whispered, motioning to the obituary in his hand.

Jackson looked to the story of his human death before slipping the paper into his pocket. "You know," he said simply.

April felt her heart pound in her ears as the panic swelled within her. "I don't know," she said, her voice cracking. "I don't know until you say it!"

Jackson's eyes filled with sadness as he looked to the ground. "You know what I am."

"I don't know until you tell me!" April exclaimed. "I won't believe it until you tell me!" The last few words came out as a whisper as tears threatened to spill over her lids.

Jackson looked back to her eyes. "I'm a vampire," he spoke simply.

April gasped, the thought finally settling in her mind. It was all a thought of fiction until he confirmed it. The pop culture images flashed in her mind-bats, red eyes, sharp teeth, drained bodies. Jackson was a predator; Jackson was a murderer!

Jackson stood in the residents' lounge and watched in agony as April did the one thing he hoped she would never do. April turned and ran away from him as fast as she could.

* * *

**This concludes Shadows of Seattle Part I! I hope you've enjoyed the first part of Jackson & April's journey :) **

**Keep your eyes out for Shadows of Seattle Part II - Decisions. I will be uploading it as a second, separate story. Coming soon!**


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